


Practice Makes Perfect Mistakes

by RebelPaisley



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Adult Language, Amazing Stamina, Anxiety, Aphrodisiacs, Attempted Flirtation, Bargaining, Comedy, Complete, Crafty Ben, Cranky Chad, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Crush, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dead Queen Ella, Dress Up, Exhibitionism, Experimentation, First Times, Flexibility, Flirting, Frenemies, Friendship, Happy Ending, Hijinks & Shenanigans, Hormones, Humiliation, In-Demand Chad, Insecurity, Kissing Practice, Leaked Nude Photos, Lingerie, Loneliness, Low Self-Esteem, M/M, Mild Internalized Homophobia, No Beta we die like vikings, Non-graphic assault, Not Audrey-Friendly, Phone Calls, Pre Descendants 1, Privacy Violation, Referenced Neglect, Romance, Royal Birthday, Saboteur Ben, Seven Minutes In Heaven Game, Sexual Propositions, Sexual Roleplay, Sexual Situations, Shopping, Smart Chad, Smut, Spin the Bottle, Teenagers, Touch-Starved, Verbal Abuse, Weekend Retreat, Whump, attempted dirty talk, canonically underage characters, mild dubious consent, oblivious chad, referenced abuse, romantic confessions, shared bath, showering together, slutshaming, spite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:35:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 54,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24524725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RebelPaisley/pseuds/RebelPaisley
Summary: When Chad was shipped off to stay with Ben for the summer for nebulous bonding purposes, Chad thought great, at least he could get some reading done.  Only it turned out that Ben was a hyperactive monkey who couldn’t sit still and let Chad read the beautiful bounty of books in Queen Belle’s library, so they made a deal.It was a stupid deal.But Ben was young and hormonal and wanted to practice kissing someone before he had to unleash his dumb self onto the princess populous of Auradon Prep, so through what could only be considered lunacy, he convinced Chad to play along with him.  If they practiced kissing, Chad would get books.There was no way this could possibly go wrong.Also known as: The adventures of Ben the not-so-subtle smooth operator and Chad the perpetually oblivious bookworm, who wasn’t actually a bookworm, at least as far as anyone else was concerned.
Relationships: Ben/Chad Charming, One-sided Audrey/Ben
Comments: 72
Kudos: 118





	1. The Idea

“I have an idea.”

“No.” Chad knew how Ben got with his _ideas_ , and for the most part they were always bad, especially when they were delivered with that mischievous glint in his eye that promised nothing but problems for Chad.

“But it’s a good one this time,” Ben insisted – _always_ insisted, because he knew Chad was onto him and his bad-plan ways. “It’s practical, even. You like practical stuff!”

“I like _shiny_ stuff, Ben,” Chad countered with a sniff, because Ben wasn’t supposed to realize Chad was pragmatic, he was supposed to think Chad was charming and vague and should mostly be kept around for his good looks.

“Right.” Ben was too nice to disagree with Chad, so he just nodded his head to keep steamrolling with whatever his ill-thought-out proposal was. “But you _also_ like practical stuff – for example, being good at things!”

“I mean…” _Stupid_. Ben always did this. He would make one _sort of_ relevant point and then drag Chad down a path of despair. “That’s just expected of us.”

“Exactly!” He was back to agreeing. “So.” He threw himself down on the bed beside Chad, despite the fact that this was a thing they _should not do_ because Chad’s grandfather had specifically said it was a thing they _should not do_ and it was just like Ben for him to decide it was the one rule he should break. “Kissing.”

“What about it?”

“We’re _princes_ ,” Ben said, as though Chad could ever forget this. His grandfather only harped about it _all the time_. “We’re supposed to be, you know, good at everything. Like kissing.”

“Yes, Ben,” Chad drawled, subtly trying to wiggle to the far side of the bed to put some distance between himself and Ben’s stupid gangly limbs. “I’m aware.” 

Ben perked up because he’d gotten Chad to agree with him, and somehow he would use that unrelated agreement for something that was likely dumb. “Okay, so like, we’re good at Tourney because we practice, right?”

“Sure.” Chad scrunched his nose, unable to mask his distaste of _Tourney_ and the stupid _Tourney_ _training camps_ he had to go to so his grandfather could keep Chad out of his hair and keep him from learning useful stuff, like how Sardinia legislature was run. Joke was on him, Chad downloaded all the necessary e-books onto his tablet so he could study at camp. _Take that, old man._

Ben was grinning at him now. “ _So_ , how are we supposed to get better at kissing?”

Chad rolled his eyes. “You _literally_ just said it. With practice, _stupid_.”

“Exactly!” It would seem that was Ben’s point. “But like, when we start dating-” Chad scrunched his nose again. He didn’t even want to think about _dating_ , just another battle of wits he’d have to have with his grandfather. “-we’re going to be expected to be like- _good_ at that sort of stuff already.”

“Ben,” Chad sighed. “Get to the point.” 

He was tired. They had spent the day riding around on horseback because for someone who was the son of a famous bookworm, Ben couldn’t actually sit still and _study like a good human_ for more than an hour without wanting to run around in the sun. And then he dragged _Chad_ along with him because he had to be a _good host_. In Chad’s opinion, a _good host_ would have left Chad in the library for the rest of his life while bringing the occasional snack, but Chad’s opinion of good hosting skills and Ben’s opinion of good hosting skills were two different things. Honestly, this whole trip was stupid. Chad’s grandfather had sent him over here so that some of Ben’s _‘good graces_ ’ could rub off on him, but Chad was beginning to suspect that _he_ was the good influence between them. And that was kind of sad, since according to his grandfather Chad was the biggest disappointment _ever_. 

Also, Ben was going to be king of Auradon one day, and he had the attention span of a goldfish.

“My _point_ ,” Ben said with a whirl of his goldfish finger. “Is that we will not be good at that stuff right away because we are human, and so in order to _get_ good and respectable at um- intimate dating stuff, we need to practice.”

Chad waited for a moment, then sighed. “You already said that.”

Ben at least had the decency to blush. “I mean, you know, with each _other_.”

Oh. Yeah, that sounded like something Chad’s grandfather would definitely hate.

Chad made a face. “We’re going to date _princesses_ , Ben.”

“I know.” The flush on Ben’s cheeks darkened. “But I thought, you know, it can’t be much different. So-” His eyes got all big again. “Do you want to practice?”

Chad held up a hand. “Let me get this straight. You want to practice… what exactly, _kissing_ with me? So that when you start dating Audrey like you inevitably will-”

“Why does it have to be Audrey?” Ben asked in his beautifully naive way, as though their families hadn’t been shoving them together for like, _ever_. 

“-you will not be terrible,” Chad finished, ignoring the question. “Ben, that’s dumb. Audrey’s not going to care how good you are at kissing.” Audrey only cared about power and fashion, and Ben was just an inconsequential factor in her quest for both.

“Okay, but maybe it won’t be _Audrey_.” Ben was pouting now, getting that ‘thinking’ look on his face again. “And I _want_ to be good, Chad. Don’t you want to be good?”

Chad mostly just wanted to reach adulthood without getting assassinated and maybe have his dad look at him every once in a while in something that was not a depressed stupor, so no, he honestly didn’t give two shits about how good he was at kissing.

He considered his options. “…are you going to keep bugging me about this until I agree?”

“Yes,” Ben said with an unapologetically cheerful grin. 

_Ugh_. Chad hated it as much as he envied it. _His_ smiles were never so genuine.

“Whatever.” Chad rolled his eyes. “We can practice, but in return I want more time in the library.” And then Chad remembered he had a half-assed persona to maintain. “So I can look at all the pretty books.”

“And all the pretty words inside,” Ben giggled, because he was actually an asshole all the time. “ _Fine_ ,” he groaned. “We’ll balance out your boring stuff with my fun stuff.”

“How kind of you,” Chad drawled. “Now where do you want to-?”

He didn’t get a chance to finish his question because Ben was awkwardly mushing his face against Chad’s own.

There were teeth and maybe some spit, it wasn’t great. Ben was a hundred percent enthusiasm and zero percent skill and Audrey was going to _owe Chad_ for this shit because even if Chad had no experience he knew this was bad.

“Ben-” He groaned against enthusiastic lips. There was- that was a tongue. Why kind of movies had he been watching? “Ben, _mf_ - _”_

Ben pulled away after Chad smacked his arm, justifiably embarrassed. “Okay, so that wasn’t great.”

“ _Warn a guy_ next time,” Chad snapped. “You’re not even at a good angle.”

“Huh.” Ben blinked, as though he had not just experienced the aforementioned terrible angle. “Hold on.” Like the giant monkey he was, Ben sort of clambered over Chad until he had him boxed into the bed, his stupid long body draping across Chad like he owned it.

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad hissed. “You’re _crushing_ me.”

“No, I’m not,” Ben decided. “This is nice. I sort of like having this much contact with you.”

“Great,” Chad muttered. “You can write that on my tombstone, under ‘ _was squished beneath the idiot prince of Auradon’_.”

“And _‘he was a good friend’_ ,” Ben chirped, not to be outdone. “Can I try kissing you again?”

“Sure.” Chad gave up. “It can’t be much worse than last time.”

Thankfully, Ben didn’t try to prove him wrong. This time he kept his moves slow and gentle, pressing his lips against Chad’s with exaggerated care. 

Kissing Ben was… weird, mostly because Chad had never pictured doing it. Or kissing a guy. Which he guessed was sort of okay, because if he had to kiss someone it may as well be someone he didn’t have any particular strong feelings for other than jealousy. Ben, with his loving parents and his giant libraries and his actual power to _make change_ and his untouchable status that kept assassins from trying to murder him. Ben, who was supposed to rub off on Chad but honestly if that ever happened Chad would probably like trip on a rock and break his neck the moment he left the castle, that was how few self-preservation skills Ben had.

After a period of not-terrible kisses (Chad guessed) were exchanged, Ben shifted a hand up to cup Chad’s jaw, angling his mouth so he could um- kiss harder, or something. It worked though, which was weird, but Chad found he sort of liked it. He was starting to think this was a good idea, if only because it kept Ben’s mouth occupied. 

And then there was the tongue again.

“ _Ben_.” Chad jerked back, feeling his cheeks flush.

“They do it in the movies!” Ben pressed, his gaze wide and insistent. “I mean, it can’t be _that_ bad.”

“You’d be _licking my tongue_.” Chad felt embarrassed just saying it. “Don’t you think that’s gross?”

“Um…” Ben did not actually know the answer to this. “…no?”

“You’re stupid,” Chad muttered, flopping back against the pillow.

Ben took this as incentive to try the tongue thing again and ( _with great reluctance_ ) Chad let him inside. Thankfully, Ben took it slow, choosing explore Chad’s mouth carefully and _fuck_ it was weird but also sort of hot and this was not fair, Ben should not be right about things. At least, Ben should not be right about _these_ things. 

As was inevitable with this type of bullshit, Chad’s body began to react, growing a wealth of familiar warmth that Chad didn’t recognize until he felt his groin brush against Ben’s stupid thigh.

Immediately, Ben was pulling away, but instead of a normal reaction of shock he was _preening_ , staring down at Chad’s _predicament_.

“So it’s good?” he asked. “You like it?”

“We’re _teenagers_ , Ben,” Chad hissed, wishing his face would get less red. “Literally anything sets us off, you know that.”

“Yeah, but this time I’m _part_ of that something,” Ben said, wagging his brow.

Chad didn’t get a chance for a snarky reply because then the other prince was grabbing Chad’s leg, hooking it around his waist so they could grind together which – _objectively_ – felt good, but also-

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad snapped, scrambling to hold onto his shoulders as Ben continued to rut them together. “I am not a fucking _girl_ , you asshole.”

“But this feels good?” Ben asked eyes squeezed shut as he savored the sensation. He started mouthing at Chad’s neck with clumsy, open-mouthed kisses.

“I mean-” Chad flushed because he didn’t want to agree, but he also didn’t want to stop moving his hips and it was sort of sexy – again, _objectively_ – to have Ben control things like this. “Of course I- it’s like a handjob. Who um- doesn’t like those?”

“Could I give you a handjob?” Ben asked, like that was a _thing_ they could do. “Later, I mean.”

“Why would you need to-” Chad cut himself off with a shake of his head because if he started asking now he’d never stop. “ _Ben-_ ” He whined, feeling embarrassingly close to losing himself.

 _This_ , of all times, was when Ben chose to take a hint. “Are you close, Chad? I’m close.” He pulled Chad’s leg higher, giving them a better angle that made Chad’s mouth fall open in a gasp. “I’m so close and you feel so good. Are you gonna come for me?” He started pressing hot kisses just underneath Chad’s ear. “So hot for me, those pretty pink lips moaning just for me-” Chad whimpered when he should have _disagreed_ , and Ben doubled his efforts. “So good, for me. Come on, Chad. Come right now. Come _right now_.”

He shifted them together in a particularly hard grind that made Chad fall apart in a way he never had before. In the few embarrassing, minor explorations he’d had with himself, he’d never gotten anywhere close to this, but with Ben’s stupid weight above him, his hands guiding Chad’s release, everything felt amplified, until Chad’s chest was heaving with exertion, his brain thoroughly dazed. 

“ _Woah_.” Ben was giving him that dopey grin of victory that Chad normally hated. “That… was awesome.” He blinked down at Chad’s leg, grabbing it just under the knee before pulling upwards, until his knee was against his chest. “ _Wow_ , you’re flexible.”

“Shut up.” Chad shivered, wishing the way Ben manipulated him didn’t fill some kind of weird twisted need inside. “I do parkour.”

“Do you like this?” Ben asked, continuing to hold Chad’s leg up. After a moment’s consideration, he grabbed Chad’s other leg, pushing up until Chad whined, feeling exposed but dominated and apparently he liked both of those things, especially when Ben just sort of stared at him. “ _Wow_.”

“Ben.” Chad tried to regain some of his composure, despite the fact that his body was beginning to decide it was interested again. “Knock it off.”

“But I could…” He lowered his groin until it was flush with Chad’s rear, giving it gentle rut that made Chad shudder. “ _Chad_.”

“Shut up,” Chad snapped, wishing his legs would stop shaking. “Ben, seriously-”

“Okay.” Ben let go of his legs, and Chad had to swallow a whine because _fuck_ , but then it wasn’t so much a problem because Ben was pulling down his pajama pants and underwear.

“ _Ben!_ ” Chad flushed because Ben was- mesmerized, as though he didn’t have the exact same stuff, and then his fingers were trailing through the remnants of their misdeeds and Chad sort of wanted to die but he also sort of loved it.

“Can I lick it?” Ben asked, and he was- serious.

“ _What?_ ” Chad could not handle this human. “You don’t need to-”

“I want to taste,” Ben decided, and then he was just- slinking down his body and _licking Chad_. 

This was not a thing Chad deserved. He did not deserve to be taunting with insubstantial licks that kept accidentally grazing very sensitive real estate. He did not deserve to have Prince Ben’s face buried in his groin, hands curling against Chad’s bare hips. He didn’t deserve to be cleaned by a royal tongue until he was properly worked up again and Ben had a particular gleam in his eye.

“I can suck it,” Ben offered, legitimately trying to kill Chad. “I mean, it’s probably harder than eating out a girl, right? So if I get good at this-”

“They are not even _remotely the same_ ,” Chad hissed, but Ben was still very much speculative.

“Sure they are,” Ben said, and then he just sort of- wrapped his lips around _Chad_.

Who was going to last an embarrassingly short amount of time because there was a tongue and suction and _warmth_ and he was only human and Ben was _relentless_.

“Ben, you shit,” Chad hissed. “I’m gonna- _fuck_ , it’s gonnna come out you gotta- _Ben_.” But Ben refused to stop, hollowing his cheeks in a firm suck as he tried to take more of Chad in, as though he wasn’t _killing him_. “Ben, seriously-” Chad gasped, wishing he could ignore the way Ben’s hand settled between his own legs, squeezing at the stirring interest that he’d gotten from _licking Chad_. “Ben, I- _I-_ ”

Chad pressed a hand to his mouth as he fell over the edge, Ben eagerly coaxing Chad _into his mouth_ and that shouldn’t be hot but it was hot. Chad was just a teenager who’d never done anything with anyone and having such a determined mouth on him was every level of _unfair_. It didn’t help that Ben seemed to fall apart as well, rutting into his hand not long after Chad had finished, though he kept _sucking_ on him until Chad was a mess of flushed whimpers, his legs twitching wide, though he ached to escape that attention.

When Ben finally pulled off him, his flushed and wet lips were pulled back in a pleased smile. “I think that went well.”

“ _Fuck_ ,” Chad groaned, letting his head collapse against the pillow. He no longer cared that his genitals were on display for the future king of Auradon. Chad’s grandfather had always said he was a disgrace, who was he to prove the old man wrong?

“I think,” Ben began, pressing kisses against Chad’s hip because he was _insatiable_. “We should both take another shower.”

“You can go first,” Chad muttered, hoping that the time apart would allow him to repair his shield of sharp and caustic wit. 

“No.” Ben shook his head, tracing circles on Chad’s inner thighs. “I meant together.”

Chad felt himself blush down to his toes. “ _Ben_.”

“We can make out some more,” Ben offered as he dragged Chad’s pants and underwear down his legs, apparently already set in his decision.

“I am not kissing you until you’ve used mouthwash.” Chad hissed, wondering if there was even a point to covering himself before Ben was urging his large sleep shirt up and off of him. This was not how Chad pictured being naked with someone for the first time. He’d always thought it’d be some tittering princess and _he’d_ have to be in control and pretend to know what he was doing. He didn’t think he’d be flushed and naked on Ben’s bed, the prince looking over him like he was some sort of all you can eat buffet and Ben wanted to sample _everything_.

“That’s fair,” Ben decided, shrugging out of his shirt. Because he _wasn’t_ a stupid horndog, Chad gathered up his clothes, doing the same for Ben so the servants wouldn’t come in and get the exact right idea because Ben had no subtlety. 

_That_ was how he found himself back in Ben’s bathroom, starting up the shower while Ben rinsed with mouthwash, Chad holding onto two sets of dirty boxer-briefs that _had_ to be washed out because like fuck was he going to let Mrs. Potts discover them- _soiled_ with the effects of raging teenage hormones. She was like- _Ben’s grandmother_. 

Chad rinsed out the undergarments as well as he could before hanging them to dry on Ben’s tub, sliding into the stupidly large shower and pretending he was running naked through a rainstorm because _why the fuck not_ , stranger things had already happened that day.

He was not prepared for _naked Ben_ to slide into the fray with him, wrapping his arms around Chad from behind and drawing himself close, until there was no room between them. Chad was painfully aware of the feel of Ben’s groin pressed against his rear and that shouldn’t be alluring in any way but his body was just- at a feather light trigger point, and this was dumb and stupid but somehow he found warmth pooling between his legs again.

Ben, relentless, started to grind against him one hand tracing small circles on Chad’s hips. “Do you like this?”

“Anyone would like this,” Chad snapped, even though he was mostly sure that wasn’t true. “Ben…”

“You’re so pretty,” Ben declared, letting one of his hands trail up Chad’s torso, wandering aimlessly over tan skin. “Did anyone tell you that?”

“I am _handsome_ , asshole,” Chad muttered, trying to keep his voice from hitching when Ben began caressing his chest. “What are you even doing?”

“Practicing my – you know – sexy talk.”

“ _Goodness_ ,” Chad sighed, letting his head fall back on Ben’s shoulder which was quite possibly a giant mistake. “Don’t call it that, and you’re terrible.”

“Which is why I need _practice_ ,” Ben preened, voice the epitome of smug as one of his hands grazed Chad’s nipple. The effect was like lightning, making him shudder in response. “Do you like that?”

“ _Obviously_ , I liked that.” Chad hated how everything seemed to set him off, and all of Ben’s questions, and the stupid lanky fingers that started to tease his chest and the growing firmness pressing against his back. “ _Ben_.”

“Don’t worry,” Ben said, just- rutting against Chad and acting like it was normal for Chad to get off on it, when he’d barely been touched and his nipples were being played with. “You’ve got a really cute chest, Chad-”

“ _Manly_ ,” Chad muttered, on principle.

“-if I were in front of you,” Ben continued, blissfully unaware. “I’d bite and suck on them until they were flushed little nubs.”

“ _Ben_.” He couldn’t _say_ shit like that. Or, obviously he could because he was _Ben_ and his life was a fairytale where things went right and people liked him regardless of who his mother was.

“Until you were cooing and clutching at my head,” he continued. “Pretending you wanted me to stop but you’d be dragging me forward, closer to you.”

“F-fuck.” Chad _would_ do that too; this was so unfair. 

And Ben was- very um- _aroused_ behind him and-

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad hissed when he felt his cheeks being parted, heart lurching in his throat and the pressure between his own legs throbbing painfully hard.

“It’s okay.” Ben just- angled in between them, rutting up past Chad’s- _entrance_ and that shouldn’t be- a thing that Chad cared about or wanted in any kind of way, but he felt like he was going to fall over the sensation was so much.

“Audrey wouldn’t want this,” Chad gasped, trying to reclaim some sort of control over the situation. He wanted desperately to reach in between his legs, but instead he found himself clutching Ben’s arms to keep from collapsing altogether.

“Not doing this for Audrey,” Ben said distractedly, beginning to rut against Chad with renewed interest. And Chad, to his embarrassment, found his hips shifting backwards to meet his thrusts, and he didn’t know what was wrong with him maybe this was just Ben’s magic power, to make everyone want his dumb face. It would explain why no one had killed him yet.

“Feel good?” Ben asked, and then he was- _palming_ Chad, squeezing between his legs and that was- Chad was _done_ , falling back against Ben’s chest while his hips rutted shamelessly into his hand to coax through the aftershocks, then back against his-

“ _Yes_ ,” Ben hissed. “You feel so good, baby. So good and so pretty. I can’t wait to share this with you. Feel so good-”

“Ben,” Chad whined because that clever hand was still toying with him, coaxing oversensitive flesh in a relentless tease that had him whimpering. “Ben, please. I-”

“ _Chad_ ,” Ben groaned, urging Chad’s hips back to meet him. “Chad. Chad, I’m gonna- _Chad!_ ”

He felt the moment Ben let go, hot fluid released between his cheeks, up his back, and instead of feeling disgusted Chad felt liberated, even when that big dumb oaf collapsed against him, _still_ teasing Chad.

“Oh, _wow_ ,” Ben said again, like it was his entire vocabulary. “That was- we’re definitely doing that again.”

“You- _coated_ me,” Chad sputtered, because he didn’t know what else to do.

Ben hummed and then just- turned Chad so he was pressed against his _naked chest_ and Chad still had his own- all over his stomach but Ben was dumb and didn’t care, more focused on angling Chad towards one of the more concentrated sprays, parting his cheeks so that could um- get clean too. 

“That was nice,” Ben said, _insatiable_ , because he was still holding them together and his hands were firmly on Chad’s butt and he wasn’t even the least bit apologetic. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“You’re such a _shit_ , Ben,” Chad snapped, trying to regain some… normality. 

Ben laughed at him. “And _now_ I’m going to kiss you,” he declared, and then he did just that.

It took what would be considered _far_ too long for them to actually start _washing_ themselves, and even then Ben was a nuisance, insisting on ‘helping’ Chad get washed up so he could work him up again, grinning when he got the blond to come undone into a washcloth (that they immediately had to _wash_ , the idiot). 

“I have such good ideas,” Ben declared when they were finally toweling themselves off, Chad managing some distance because he was _exhausted_ , and if Ben wanted to help him get ‘dressed’ again Chad was probably going to die.

“We need ground rules,” Chad decided, because if he couldn’t stop this, he might as well try to control it. “We’ll only do this in the shower-”

“ _Why?_ ” Ben groaned like the perfectly regal brat he was.

“To minimize the _evidence_ , you dolt,” Chad snapped. It was also to regulate their ‘practicing’ to a certain time of day so Chad could maintain some semblance of normality that didn’t cater to Ben’s (and his own) eager hormones. “We can’t send laundry with our- _you know_.”

“But it’s natural,” blissfully inexperienced Ben said. As though gossip magazines cared if it was _natural_. Chad was willing to bet anything that they’d maybe get like- two pairs of soiled underwear past a potential publicity leak but that was _it_ , and Ben was stupid if he thought otherwise. 

“I’m not negotiating,” Chad said. That was the only way he could get things done with Ben. No wonder Audrey did it so much. “And now I’m going to bed.”

“Good idea,” Ben decided, following Chad out of the bathroom like a lost puppy. He used the remote on his nightstand to turn off the majority of the lights while Chad crawled into his guest bed (Ben had it brought in specially for him, because having Chad in a guest _room_ ‘defeated the purpose’ of his stay even though this was definitely a diplomatic visit and not a sleepover. Try telling that to _Ben_ though).

He’d had about five seconds to settle into his blankets (soft and definitely not soaked in poisons, and the mattress wasn’t vindictively lumpy like the one Chad had back home) before he felt the bed dip behind him. 

Chad refused to turn around. “ _What_ , Ben?”

“Practice,” Ben chirped, just- scooting up to Chad’s back until he was- _spooning_ him, burying his face in Chad’s curls. “Gotta be good at cuddling too.”

“You are the worst.” Chad said this to distract himself from the familiar position, but _no_ , this was bedtime, and he was tired, and the bed was actually _nice_ for once. He could deal with Ben’s octopus presence for a _nice_ bed.

“I like you too, Chad,” Ben said brightly, pressing a kiss to Chad’s head. “Goodnight!”

Like every other time someone had offered him a banal pleasantry, Chad was taken by surprise, mustering his own response after a slight delay. “…goodnight, Ben.”

And that was the first night of their ‘sleepover’.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad woke up rested and not under the threat of his imminent demise for what seemed to be the first time in forever. It was so startlingly _nice_ that it made him hate normal humans for all of a second, hate _Ben_ who probably got to sleep like this all the time, except probably not because Ben was still latched to Chad’s _back_ and also his hand was tracing random patterns on Chad’s stomach and that was sort of distracting. 

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad hissed, because the hand was under his shirt, was toying with the waistband of Chad’s underwear and they already had _rules_ about this. “Is this a _shower_?”

“I think you can make anything a shower, if you try hard enough,” Ben hummed, seemingly delighted that Chad was awake. “Sleep well?”

“Perfectly.” On further inspection, there was a certain firmness pressing against Chad’s rear- and that was- that was _Ben_ , the ass, and it made Chad’s own morning predicament all the more apparent.

“Great,” Ben said, slowly grinding his hips forward. “I was thinking we could go to the Enchanted Lake today.”

“A-After the library,” Chad muttered, wishing he wasn’t getting so hot, wishing that a tantalizing sensation would stop pooling low in his groin.

“Of course,” Ben agreed. Stupidly long fingers teased at the waistband of Chad’s briefs before skating down over the material of his pants, purposefully cupping between Chad’s legs with a vicious grind.

“ _Fuck_.” Chad rutted into the friction on reflex, sort of wanting to die right there, but Ben just made a noise of victory like the obnoxious shit he was.

“I was- thinking we could- pack a lunch,” Ben continued between harsh drags of air, guiding Chad against him in a steadier movement. “Maybe take our swimsuits-”

“We are-” Chad gasped. “-not _practicing_ at the lake.”

“But we could go skinny dipping,” Ben whined, and Chad would take more time to be worried about that but then Ben’s _other_ hand was sneaking back up his torso, pinching at Chad’s nipple with a ruthless sort of efficiency.

“Paparazzi, you _asshole_ ,” Chad hissed, wishing his hips wouldn’t respond so reflexively, happy to grind into Ben’s hand and then back against- _him_ and was this the cost of nice beds? This seemed like the cost of nice beds.

“Enchanted Lake still has protection barriers in place to guard against that stuff,” Ben muttered against his neck, beginning to- _suck_ on that real estate. “But that’s a fair concern. Hey- we’ve got a private cabin no one knows about, you and I could take a ‘camping’ trip there for a couple days.”

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad groaned, this boy was insatiable and would definitely be the end to him. Why did people think Ben was the calm, logical one? It was so unfair.

“It’ll be good,” Ben promised- _licking_ Chad’s neck. “ _Fuck_ , you look so cute cuddling under the sheets. Like you’ve never felt silk before-” Chad hadn’t, actually, his grandfather didn’t like wasting such things on him. “-making these happy little sounds. _Fuck_.” The hand between Chad’s legs was moving faster. “Makes me want to strip you down so you’re wrapped in nothing _but_ silk. See what sounds you make _then_.”

Apparently, Chad _liked_ that idea, because he had to stifle a broken moan into the palm of his hand.

“Okay,” Ben huffed. “I’ll make sure that happens-”

“I’d get them dirty, you _fuck_.”

“And they’d be all the better for them,” Ben mused like a true lunatic, and then Chad was falling apart.

Fortunately, Ben _also_ fell apart, so he didn’t continue relentlessly teasing Chad so much as just slumping against his back.

“…so,” he began after they’d sort of caught their breath. “The Enchanted Lake?”

“I hate you,” Chad muttered, and wasn’t really surprised when Ben dragged them into the bathroom to get ‘cleaned up’.

-:-:-:-:-:-

They spent the morning in the library and it was glorious and Chad learned _so many things_ – writing notes from the volumes that had no market copies available for purchase before Ben inevitably dragged him from the castle for lunch, one hand wrapped around Mrs. Potts’ lovingly packed picnic basket and the other around Chad’s wrist, who didn’t drag his feet so much as pout in the most regally accepted way possible. 

To maintain a low profile they took two Mopeds from the garage (Chad may have lied about having driven one before to keep away from _Ben_ ) and eventually found their way to Ben’s most favorite place _ever_ , the Enchanted Lake. 

“I love this place,” Ben declared for what might have been the fifth time that day, taking Chad’s hand and dragging him down toward the rounded stone ruins, happy to set off their picnic there. At least Chad got sandwiches out of the deal. Delicious, _delicious_ sandwiches. 

Ben finished his food before Chad because he’d obviously never had to make his food last before. It didn’t seem to bother him much, though, the other prince taking the opportunity to remove the rest of his clothes before snapping some candid pictures (that Chad had to force last-minute charm into, because no one wanted recorded photos of Chad glaring at the camera) and digging through is bag for something.

“So…” Ben began slowly. “I got something from the black market.”

“That is not a thing you should tell another prince,” Chad mumbled around his sandwich. “Who can report you to the council.”

“Yeah, but you _won’t_ ,” Ben said with entirely too much confidence, and were Chad a worse person – say _Audrey_ , for example – he totally would have reported him then and there just to watch the chaos of nominating a new king of Auradon unfold. “Because we both know the magic ban is _stupid_. Like, half the books you pulled from the library-”

“For their very pretty photos,” Chad reminded him.

“-covered that subject, so I feel pretty confident about your silence.” Ben seemed to locate whatever black market good he was looking for, and lifted his hand to reveal… a tube.

“Oh goody,” Chad deadpanned. “An illegal substance.”

“Technically, it’s illegal _suntan oil_ ,” Ben explained. “And it’s only _barely_ illegal. Like- just _that_ side of potion-making rather than horticulture. It’s supposed to ease muscle strain but also make you feel good.” He stared at the tube. “Except you’re supposed to use it _before_ you’re active, which is sort of weird. Maybe it’s preventative?”

“Or _maybe_ you shouldn’t slather an unknown substance on your body,” Chad offered. “It could be poison. You could be willingly poisoning yourself.”

“But that’s why I wanted to use it here!” Ugh, so loud. “The Enchanted Lake gets rid of all magical effects, so if anything goes wrong-”

“It will stop you from dying?”

“ _Exactly_.” Ben had the audacity to wink at him. “So, do you want some?” 

Chad considered his options. Ben seemed dead set on using this stuff whether it was a good idea or _not_. Therefore, it was _Chad’s_ duty to test it for him, since between the two of them he was substantially more expendable.

“ _Fine_ ,” he grumbled. “But you have to wait five minutes to make sure it isn’t deadly, you schmuck.”

“It isn’t,” Ben promised with a certainty he did not know before fumbling to help Chad out of his shirt. So dumb.

And then it got dumber. 

Ben hadn’t accounted for- _something_ , because the moment he tried to coax some of the _oil_ out it squirted all over Chad’s chest, dripping down his torso in a relentless gush that immediately soaked into his swimsuit. 

He spent a moment staring at the mess before turning his attention to a sheepish Ben. “If you ruined these, you are buying me new ones.”

“…sorry,” Ben offered, gaze seeming focused on Chad’s chest. “And yeah, I’ll uh- do that. _So_.” He scooted forward, recapping the tube and setting it aside. “Do you feel… _relaxed_?”

“I feel _oily_ ,” Chad snapped, frowning down at his body.

“Maybe it has to be worked in.” Cue the giant lumbering monkey ‘helping’ Chad by rubbing at his chest, smearing the liberal amounts of oil over the rest of his torso, squirting more on his back so _that_ could be gross too.

“This is stupid,” Chad mumbled, banishing Ben to his arms so he could knead this dumb stuff into his stomach. “Face it, you got hustled. I bet anything this stuff is just baby oil.”

“Seems weird for them to go through making such an extensive label for a hoax, though,” Ben said, squinting at the tube. “Huh… there’s a lot of warnings on here.”

Of. Fucking. _Course_.

Chad didn’t hide his scowl. “ _Ben…_ ”

“Apparently you’re not supposed to use that much?” Ben offered sheepishly. “And it shouldn’t be applied to _especially_ sensitive areas.”

Chad, who had enough excess oil dripping down his torso to safely coat his pelvis and backside, started hating his life again.

“But it should be fine, right?” Ben rushed to continue. “I mean, you don’t even feel any-” He squinted. “…it says it takes a bit for the effects to ‘activate’.”

“I’m going to kill you,” Chad pledged. “You don’t have to worry about your mystery oil doing it because _I_ will.” Chad moved to get up. “That’s it, I’m washing this stuff off and then we’re going to put on sunscreen like _normal_ humans-”

Chad cut off when his legs immediately seemed to give out from under him, making him collapse in an inelegant heap which didn’t matter so much because his body was on _fire_.

“Chad!” Ben was by his side in an instant. “Chad, what’s wrong?”

What was wrong was that Chad had been _fine_ two seconds ago and now it was like he’d gone through eight hours of foreplay without any sort of relief. Each shift of his swimsuit against his groin was pure torture and the sweetest tease all in one and he wanted to be touched, _needed_ to be touched and everything was so entirely amplified he could barely breathe from it, could only shake and moan because he was _falling apart_.

“Oh.” Ben seemed to get the memo. “ _Oh_. That’s what it meant by- _shit_.”

“I- I hate you,” Chad murmured, letting his fingers slide across his torso because it felt so _good_. “You’re stupid and I hate you- _oh_.” He accidentally brushed against his nipple and that was- yes, he needed more of that. He fumbled to grab a hold of them and wasn’t sorry when he did, hips thrusting up into the air as he squeezed and pulled on them, causing bouts of pure electricity to course through his chest. “Fuck, fuck – _yes_.”

“C-Chad…” Ben didn’t seem to know what to do, but Chad honestly didn’t have time for him, not when his body was so hot. 

Chad snarled, shoving his swimsuit down his thighs so he could free himself, taking his oil-slicked interest in one hand. Distantly, Ben may have gasped but Chad sure as shit didn’t care, not when two pumps had him falling apart, though he kept going, knowing the relief would not last for long.

“ _Fuck_ , Chad,” Ben hissed, a distant sort of observation. “Can I- do you need help?”

“ _No_ ,” Chad snapped. He wasn’t one to regularly masturbate but this was something he knew how to do, something _he_ could take care of even though the need had never been this strong before. “Unless _you_ want some fucking oil.”

“You can-” Ben scrambled over to him. “You can give me some, if you want.”

Chad didn’t really look at him, just flailed out a hand until it scraped across Ben’s chest, letting it slide down his torso until it settled between his legs, where a distinct firmness had formed. That was- tantalizing, so Chad continued to move his hand, coaxing open moans from Ben while he worked himself towards completion again. He was losing track of how many times he had lost himself, but the oil kept stimulating more.

“ _Chad_ ,” Ben groaned, rutting into his hand. “I’m not gonna last-”

“ _Fine_.” Chad yanked his hand away, happy to settle on his own chest. 

“But, I can-”

“Swimsuit,” Chad snarled, flexing his legs in annoyance.

“…what?”

“Get the _swimsuit_ ,” Chad pressed, and after a moment Ben scrambled to follow his order, pulling off Chad’s suit until he was gloriously free. _Finally_.

“Chad.” Ben seemed at a loss. “You look so fucking- _wow_.”

“Fuck you,” Chad snapped, finding a surge of energy so he could crawl into Ben’s space, straddle his body until _he_ was the one splayed out on the stone. “Fucking- _mystery_ oil. This should be _you_.”

“To be fair,” Ben groaned as Chad began rutting against his stomach, hips flexing up against Chad’s rear as he held onto his hips. “-you probably would have read the labels first.”

“Because that’s what you _do_!” Chad snapped. “ _How_ are you going to be king one day? Will you even read your proposals before you sign them?”

“I’ll read _those_ ,” Ben sputtered, _somehow_ managing to be indignant. “Honest, I didn’t know that stuff was like- an aphrodisiac.”

“Of _course_ you didn’t.” _That_ Chad could actually believe. “You’re just- the worst.”

“And you’re naked,” Ben giggled. “You’re sexy when you’re mad, did you know that?”

“Do not use this as an excuse to annoy me,” Chad snapped, watching himself come apart on Ben’s chest like some sort of claim. A distant, carnal part of him found it remarkably appealing.

“ _Fuck_ ,” Ben groaned. “Can I lick you clean after this?”

“And _ingest_ it?” It was like this boy did not think. “Pretty sure there’s a warning label about _that_.”

“Fine,” Ben sighed, staring at Chad’s mess with an expression of longing. “How about later, after we’ve vigorously showered?” 

“You will be lucky if I deign to _practice_ with you again,” Chad growled, but mostly he was afraid he might exhaust the entirety of his ability to intimately relate to someone in this moment, because it almost felt like he was never going to come down. “Fuck. _Fuck_. Can we-? _Ben_.”

“What is it, baby?” Ben asked, as though he had the _right_ to call Chad anything. “What do you need?”

“The _lake_ , you shit,” Chad snarled. “Can you…”

Ben gave a sort of disappointed blink, because he was the worst. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll um-”

Slowly and awkwardly flop them into the water, holding Chad to his chest as the effects of the _magic oil_ immediately vanished. 

“ _Fuck_ ,” Chad groaned when they got back above water, slumping against Ben’s chest. Now he was just exhausted. And sore. His dick was _sore_. 

“I know,” Ben said despite the fact that he did _not_ know, his hand moving relentlessly between his legs until he finished as well. “ _Fuck_.”

Chad cleared his throat awkwardly, sort of hating the fact that he couldn’t get his legs to work. “If you tell anyone about this…”

“I would get in major trouble,” Ben finished. “So that is a thing I will _not_ do.”

“Good.” Now that the heat had finally died down, Chad was intensely aware of the fact that he wasn’t wearing any _clothing_. “ _Ben_.”

“Aw, do you really need it?” Ben whined, seeming to already guess his ire, hands relentlessly shifting down to cup Chad’s rear. “I told you we could skinny dip.”

“The only thing _you’re_ going to do is grab my swimsuit,” Chad grumbled. “And call us a car, because I’m not going to be able to handle a Moped back.”

“Oh, you’re _not_ , eh?” Ben wagged his brows. “Maybe I can give you a _massage_ in the car.”

“Maybe I can massage your throat with my _hands_ ,” Chad countered.

Ben laughed as though Chad could ever possibly be joking. “Come on, let’s get you dressed.”

“And forget this nonsense completely,” Chad decided, even if the stupid twinkle in Ben’s eye almost guaranteed that would _not_ be happening.

Still, a guy could dream.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Ben had to help Chad to the car (Chad stubbornly refusing to be _carried_ so Ben more or less dragged Chad’s arm over his shoulder so they could hobble there together), leaving the chauffeur to handle loading up the Mopeds. The cover story was that Chad had _maybe_ twisted his ankle jumping off of a boulder, and they decided to play it safe because they were _responsible_ , which had gotten appreciative murmurs from the queen with the order to take it easy for the rest of the day. Chad followed this advice by staying _as far away from Ben_ as possible on the car ride back, flopping down on his selection of seats and immediately passing out in a well-deserved nap. 

Ben _tried_ to carry him into the castle but Chad woke up for that, grumbling away from his grabby hands until he could stubbornly limp back to Ben’s room. He managed to make it to his bed before collapsing completely, deciding he was done with the day.

“You should have let me help you,” Ben grumbled, spreading out beside Chad because he didn’t understand the basic concept of _boundaries_. “How do you feel?”

“ _Sore_ ,” Chad groaned. It took great restraint not to rub at his genitals, knowing the contact would only make things worse. “It all- hurts.”

“Like…” Ben’s gaze meaningfully dropped below Chad’s waist.

The blond rolled his eyes. “ _Yes_. I guess that’s what happens when you hard stop magic arousal.” 

“Sorry, man.” At least Ben seemed genuinely apologetic. Anyone else would likely be laughing. “I could run you a hot bath, if you want?”

“Maybe later,” Chad murmured. “Now I just want to pass out.” He shifted restlessly. “ _Fuck_ , swim trunks are the worst.”

“They a problem?” Ben watched Chad try to find a comfier position.

“Just- the netting and shit.” It may as well be sandpaper. 

“ _Hmmm_ ,” Ben hummed, literally _hummed_. “Think I know what can help with that.”

Chad was too tired to even try to warn him off, simply admitted defeat before he could even try, letting Ben pull the abrasive material off his body. Chad didn’t even care that he was half naked, _that_ was how sore he was.

“Here,” Ben continued. He pulled the comforter out from under Chad so he could slide under it; let him settle into the silk sheets he had discovered yesterday, which welcomed him like a cool caress.

“ _Oh_ ,” Chad groaned, everything about the fabric appealing to his sore muscles. “Yes. _Fuck_ , you finally had a good idea.”

“I have _lots_ of good ideas.” Ben probably would have sounded more offended if he hadn’t distracted himself by cupping Chad through the delicate fabric, making it mold against him. “I’ll run you a bath later,” he said, pulling the comforter back up. So he actually _could_ restrain himself. Impressive. “Do you want your shirt off?”

The soft cotton of his shirt wasn’t nearly as bad as the swimsuit had been, but even it was a lot for Chad’s oversensitive flesh. The Enchanted Lake may have put a stop to the effects of Ben’s stupid oil, but some of the tingles still remained behind. Which made getting rid of the shirt an appealing idea, even if it would leave him naked.

“Sure,” Chad relented. “But only-”

Further discussion was interrupted by the presence of the _queen_.

The _queen_ , Ben’s mother, the one who helped rule _Auradon_ was gliding into the room with a regal tilt of her head and Chad was _defiling her sheets_ with his nude body. 

“Mom!” Ben scrambled off the bed to meet her, buying Chad some time to _panic_. “Hi!”

“Hi, Ben.” She cupped his cheeks in a careful expression of tenderness that always made Chad feel unbalanced inside, pressing a kiss against her son’s forehead until she moved to check on Chad. “I wanted to see how the two of you were doing.”

“Great, Queen Belle.” Chad managed to keep from blushing through sheer force of will. “Thank you. I just- overexerted myself.”

“Chad was going to take a nap,” Ben rushed to say. “I mean, we both were.”

“And then showers, I hope?” Queen Belle mused, running a hand through her son’s flyaway hair. “Do you need a doctor, Chad?”

“No,” Chad gave his best ditzy laugh. “Think I’ll just stay off it for a bit. Everything should be fine later.”

“We were just playing it safe,” Ben said. “I _insisted_.”

“Yeah.” That was Ben, the height of _careful planning_. “Ben’s a great leader, your majesty.”

“And an even better friend, dear,” the queen said, running a hand through _Chad’s_ hair.

He tried not to savor it, because he was _not_ a pathetic weirdo who should enjoy such things while being _half naked_ , but a little part of him held onto it anyway.

“Yeah,” Chad agreed. “Yeah, he is.”

Chad ignored the way Ben was all but _beaming_ behind his mother, because apparently he didn’t understand polite small talk if he was hit in the face with it.

“I’m glad you two are alright,” the queen said, giving Chad’s shoulder one last squeeze before moving away from the bed. “I suppose I’ll leave you two to rest. And don’t hesitate to call the doctor if things don’t improve, Ben.”

“I won’t,” Ben promised, giving a dopey smile like the mama’s boy he was. “Love you, mom.”

“Love you too, sweetie.” She kissed his head again. “I’ll see you two at dinner.”

“Bye, your majesty,” Chad offered with a wave.

She smiled at him again, that same generous kindness that seemed to wreck him inside. “Goodbye, dear.”

She left as quietly as she came, Ben guiding her out of the suite like the good son he was. They must have spoken a bit longer in Ben’s anteroom because it was a few minutes before Ben returned, locking the door behind him before immediately dimming the lights.

“Suck up,” he grumbled when he slid out of his swimsuit, dragging on some silky boxers before climbing into bed with Chad. “My mom’s going to like you more than me at this rate.”

“As she should,” Chad sniffed, holding his arms up so Ben could help him out of his shirt. “Because I am awesome.”

“Not _that_ awesome,” Ben muttered, curling himself around Chad. It became apparent that while he was under the comforter, he hadn’t climbed under the silk sheets, leaving a safe barrier between them that Chad relaxed into. “I mean- when you’re covered in that _oil_ though-”

“And you were doing so well,” Chad deadpanned, and it was Ben’s resounding laugh that he drifted off to sleep to, content to have the other prince pressed against his back.

He guessed that overall, it wasn’t so bad.

-:-:-:-:-:-

They ran a bath after waking up from their impromptu nap that Ben insisted on sharing with him, though for once he managed to keep his hands entirely to himself, happy to wrap an arm around Chad’s shoulders and let him sink into his side as they played with the bubbles Ben had added like the child he was. 

It was sort of nice have this casual intimacy, and Chad didn’t quite know what to do with it. He wondered if this was a thing best friends did. He’d never had one before, but Ben seemed entirely casual about the affair, like it was an expected part of life, so Chad didn’t question it. It was nice to listen to Ben recount stories of his trials and spectacular errors in learning how to be prince, or about how he’d captured a frog for a young Audrey as a present who _definitely_ hadn’t appreciated the gesture as much as he thought she should. 

He asked for stories from Chad’s own life, so the blond stuck to mundane things – pranks from Tourney camp (that hadn’t happened to _him_ only because he’d retriggered the traps on his attackers) and visits to Hanover (or escape attempt number five, as Chad liked to call it, camped out in the woods for three weeks before Queen Snow’s Huntsmen inevitably found him). Chad didn’t have any lifelong friends like Ben did – his only stories from Jane were acquired through more or less spying on her, which Chad felt didn’t count all that much. He was still trying to get Audrey to see her as a potential cheerleader, though he had a feeling Jane would be stuck as the mascot for at least one year before any of those dreams got to come true. 

He was almost disappointed by the time they had to rinse off in the shower, though he tried not to let Ben know that, lest he find another thing to bribe Chad with. Eventually, he’d run out of leverage, or get sufficiently ‘practiced’ out and want to apply his skills to the real thing, so Chad didn’t worry about it.

Ben insisted on helping him pick out his clothes though, which led to Chad _insisting_ he get to return the favor, which led to both of them sporting truly _horrific_ outfits when they slid into a quiet dinner with Queen Belle, who laughed quietly behind the rim of her water glass. 

Chad wondered if this was what having friends was like. 

Chad – because he knew what was up – thanked Mrs. Potts profusely when she came by with dessert (which he had to force himself to eat slowly but there was _chocolate_ and he never got _chocolate_ ). She laughed and ruffled his hair and then laughed at Ben’s pouting expression before pinching his cheek (it was _glorious_ ) before they all retired to the library for tea and beautiful, beautiful _books_.

“You’re in heaven right now, aren’t you?” Ben pretended to sulk, but he’d obviously found a book he was entranced with and was well on his way to being lost to the world. “Chocolate and _books_.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Chad sniffed, and then went back to reviewing his tomb on ancient Sardinian monarchy, because his grandfather had confiscated all the copies of it back home.

“Be nice, boys,” Queen Belle hummed without looking up from her book – somehow _knowing_ what they were talking about without really hearing them – and both of them fell in line, claiming their own seats and their own drinks and their own books.

Belatedly, Chad wondered if this was what having a family was like.

He sort of hoped it was. It seemed pretty nice. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings, everybody! Here we go for Descendants story number seven! As always, please let me know if I missed something in the tags. I prefer to ere on the side of caution with these things, but when you stare at something for long enough, it can be easy to lose the details :)
> 
> I update once a week, generally on Sundays, but because things have been so crazy lately, I decided to make an effort to update twice a week. So there will be one update on Sunday and one update on Wednesday/Thursday for now. At least, I will try for this. There will always be an update on Sunday, though :D 
> 
> There will be seven chapters of content plus one chapter of deleted scenes that will be posted along with the last chapter, whenever we get there ^_^
> 
> Story notes:
> 
> EDIT: To clarify, Ben and Chad are both fifteen in this. It's the summer before their sophomore year at Auradon Prep, when Ben will be crowned and the VKs will be invited over. I did some tweaking so that Ben and Audrey are not dating at this time. 
> 
> Sardinia is my name for Cinderellasburg, because it sounds more like an actual kingdom. 
> 
> And let’s just pretend that Ben and Chad just have amazing stamina. Just stupendous. Obviously the natural bound of biology had no sway over me when I wrote this, lol ;D
> 
> Until next time :)


	2. The Tea Party

“Ben, darling – guess who’s coming to tea?” Queen Belle asked, smiling fondly at the corner of the library Ben and Chad had set up shop in – Ben, for once, doing something useful and looking over council proposals while Chad spied on those council proposals and snuck suggested edits into his pile.

“Um…” Chad was sad to say that Ben’s look of honest befuddlement was starting to grow on him. “…papa?”

Chad swallowed a scoff.

“No dear,” Queen Belle murmured, indulgent and too entirely affectionate. “It’s Audrey! I invited her mother over and we thought it’d be nice for you to take tea together.”

_Sure_ , they did.

“Um…” Ben’s gaze sort of skittered over to Chad, who shrugged.

“Have fun, _lover boy_ ,” he drawled, thinking of all the amendments he could make to Ben’s notes while he was off canoodling with Audrey. He could get _so much done_.

“Be nice, Chadwick,” Queen Belle mused, but she was smiling, so Chad figured it wasn’t that big an infraction. “They’ll be here in thirty minutes, dear. Be in the gardens by then.”

“Bye, Queen Belle,” Chad offered with his most charming smile, getting a grin for his efforts and an annoyed look from Ben. So overall, it was quite the victory. “So,” he began when they were alone again. “Need help picking out your outfit, _Romeo_?”

At most, Chad expected a light sputter from Ben, maybe some puffed up confusion along the lines of _‘what’s wrong with this outfit_ ’ and then Chad would have to point out all the wrinkles he’d gotten from doing _work_ for once and then he could shove Ben into something blue and pink. 

Instead of any of this, however, Ben suddenly declared, “You should come with me.”

“No.” Chad hadn’t even finished processing the suggestion before he knew that was the right response. “It wouldn’t be a date if I was there, _Benny-boo_.”

“Exactly!” Ben chirped, reverting back to the obnoxious asshole Chad was beginning to like. “I _can’t_ have a date with Audrey; I’m not- _confident_ yet.”

“You’ll be fine.” Chad waved him off. If anyone knew how ready Ben was for dating, it was unfortunately Chad. “Just do what you’ve been doing.”

“No, really,” Ben pressed, pushing away from his desk so he could kneel by Chad, flopping his head down on his leg like a pathetic dog. “I need more practice first. Gotta be _perfect_ , right? Audrey and I can’t do any of that kind of stuff if _you’re_ there, though.”

“But you will,” Chad said. “Because I am not coming.” 

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad followed the moronic human being that was Benjamin Florian into the royal gardens with what could only be defeat, casting his gaze longingly towards the library he had been more or less dragged from.

“This is great,” Ben chirped. “It’ll be just like school! You and Audrey will be mean to each other and then we’ll eat snacks.”

“Audrey and I are not _mean_ to each other,” Chad sniffed, even though that was exactly what they were to each other. Aziz called them ‘frenemies’, which was a bit generous because that assumed they were _friends_. “And this is stupid.”

“So you said the last ten times,” Ben deadpanned. Chad didn’t get a chance to respond before he was holding up a hand, though, waving enthusiastically to the lone girl standing beside a lovely tea spread notably set for _two_.

Audrey was pleased as punch for all of a second before she realized Chad was dragging his feet behind Ben, and then it was back to quiet _deadly_ eyes. “Hi, Ben!” she chirped, shifting forward to expertly hook her arm through Ben’s elbow. “ _Chad_.”

“Hey, Audrey.” Chad offered a loose wave and tried to strangle Ben with his mind. He was unsuccessful. “Hey, Ben – I think I dropped my handkerchief by the back door.”

“What?” Ben did not know what to do with this information. The guy had _no_ skills.

“Could you go _get_ it for me?” Chad asked, nice and sweet.

“I mean…” Ben fumbled for his pocket. “I _have_ a handkerchief.”

“But I like mine,” Chad said. “And you’re the host, so…”

Ben didn’t sigh because he was in ‘prince mode’ right now, but he looked like he really wanted to. “Okay, Chad.”

They waited for Ben to get out of view before Audrey was rounding on him. “What the _hell_ , Chad?”

“I tried to get away three times,” Chad muttered. “He found me _each time_. Your boy is stupid, Audrey.”

“You’re one to talk,” Audrey sniffed. “Just- get out of here _now_.”

“Right.” Chad nodded. “Look, I’m gonna pretend I found some talking mice or whatever and you do whatever you were going to do without me. Keep Ben as long as you want.”

_Seriously_.

Audrey narrowed her eyes. “Reverse psychology won’t work on me, Chad.”

“Nothing reverse about it, your highness.” One last look over his shoulder and Chad jumped the rail of the pavilion, landing in the garden below. “Horrible to see you, Audrey.”

“Likewise, you _fuck_ ,” Audrey hissed, and then Chad was scurrying through the trees and bushes before Ben showed up, because he was so damn _thick_ that Chad had to sneak away from his date so it could _be_ a date.

The things he did for Auradon.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad took the roundabout way back to the house because otherwise Ben might _find him_ like he wouldn’t be able to find Chad’s imaginary lost handkerchief. He ducked through the kitchens, giving Mrs. Potts a small wave and earning a plateful of cookies for his efforts before he wisely and determinately snuck into the attic with Ben’s paperwork like the industrious human he was. He had provisions, a secure location, _and_ legal documents he technically couldn’t lay a hand on. The afternoon was looking up _swimmingly_.

And then he got a call from Audrey.

“ _Chad_ ,” she hissed, under her breath and tone vicious, like maybe Ben was nearby. “ _If you don’t fucking get back here I will **strangle** you_.”

“What?” Chad said around a mouthful of cookie. “ _Why?_ I did my part of the deal; how could you have screwed this up?”

“ ** _You_** _screwed it up,_ ” Audrey snapped. “ _Ben thinks you’re lost on the grounds somewhere and he won’t let us stop looking for you until he **finds** you._” 

“That’s stupid,” Chad huffed. “Just hand him the phone, okay? I’ll set him straight.”

“ _Yeah, **right**_ ,” Audrey huffed, but then there was some scuffling as she handed the phone over.

“ _Chad!_ ” Came Ben’s bright and cheerful voice. “ _Chad, buddy, don’t worry, we’re gonna find you!_ ”

“I am not lost, Ben.” He said this even though he knew Ben had already figured this out. “Stop being such a baby and go on your dumb date.”

“ _What?_ ” Ben asked, all overdramatic. “ _You say you’re by the waterfall?_ ”

“Ben,” Chad hissed. “Do _not_ lead Audrey on a wild goose chase around the castle grounds. She will blame _me_ for it even though it is obviously your fault.”

“ _Just stay there, okay pal?_ ” Ben continued, relentless. “ _Help is on its way! Just- **stay by the waterfall**_ , _because if you **don’t** , we’ll have to keep searching for you._”

“For the record, I hate you,” Chad muttered, looking at his lovely paperwork and snacks. “You can only use me to fight fate for so long, Ben.”

“ _I love you too, buddy_ ,” Ben replied, proving he was the most vindictive human being in the entire planet because _now_ Audrey was going to claw Chad’s eyes out _and_ make him have to smile while doing it. “ _You and your twisted ankle. Hope you found those mice_.”

“Fuck a duck, _Ben_ ,” Chad spat.

The only reply he got was a singsong of, “ _Toodles_.”Before Ben was _joyfully_ hanging up.

-:-:-:-:-:-

_Now_.

Chad was tempted to leave them to their poor decisions, because he didn’t like Audrey, and Ben wasn’t too high on his list of acceptable humans either right now. 

_But_.

If Chad did _not_ go, while he would receive the temporary satisfaction of knowing her royal highness Princess Audrey Rose was forced to follow around her goof of an almost-boyfriend through the backwoods of the castle grounds, he would _also_ get unmitigated _hell_ rained down upon him by the same princess for the rest of their school years together at Auradon Prep, and Chad needed those to go as smoothly as possible.

So with great reluctance, Chad shoved the last of the cookies in his mouth, finished adding his notes to Ben’s papers, used a secret passage way to sneak them back into the library before using the same passage way to sneak him _out_ towards the hidden waterfall, managing to splay himself out in an artful position of _twisted ankle_ just in time for Ben and Audrey to stumble upon him.

“Sorry guys.” Chad used his most brilliant smile which, of course, had no effect on Audrey. “Guess I got a little lost.”

“It’s okay, bud.” Ben seemed genuinely relieved to see him, but that was because he was a giant chicken who couldn’t stand up to Audrey. “Ankle looks pretty messed up.”

“Actually, I’m pretty sure I can walk on it,” Chad said. “I’ve been resting for- _Ben!_ ”

On a good day, Ben was a nuisance. On _this_ day, he was downright ridiculous, more or less bodily dragging Chad _onto_ his back for a piggy back ride.

“You shouldn’t mess around with these things,” Ben huffed sagely. “I’ll take you back to the room and get a doctor to look at it.”

“My ankle’s _fine_ , Ben,” Chad snapped. “Little ice and it’s good to go. Now _put me down_.”

Audrey made a lovely show of rolling her eyes. “Seriously, Benny-boo, you’re too nice. Let Chad get out of his own problems for once.”

“Gonna have to agree with Audrey.” Chad never thought he’d say the words. “It’s fine. Great, even. I’ll just limp back to the castle-”

“ _Not on my watch_ ,” Ben pledged, and Audrey – fool that she was – completely bought the good guy routine, literal _stars_ in her eyes.

“I hate you,” Chad muttered against his neck. Ben’s only response was to withhold a shiver, but otherwise he kept going, marching _bravely_ to the castle with Audrey lagging behind them unenthusiastically.

-:-:-:-:-:-

By the time they made it back inside, it was – _shocker_ – time for Audrey to _leave_. 

Ben offered his sincerest (and even slightly genuine) apologies while Chad offered slightly _less_ sincere apologies from beside him (Ben’s arm wrapped around his waist for _support_ , and not so he could stick clever fingers under Chad’s shirt and toy with the skin there). 

Audrey was about as happy as she could be, though her mood seemed to improve with a to-go container of Mrs. Potts’ treats, making her scowl more of a huff, her mother dipping her head elegantly behind her.

“You are a _child_ ,” Chad cursed when Ben insisted on dragging him up the stairs. “And my ankle’s _fine_ , you nitwit.”

“Dunno,” Ben chirped. “It’s better to be safe than sorry, right? Besides-” He leaned in close. “Heard one of the best things to do for a wounded ankle was _elevation_.”

“You are not smooth,” Chad muttered, but he was still blushing, so Ben took it as a moral victory if his smirk was any indication. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

“I have an idea.”

“You’ve got to _stop_ ,” Chad groaned, reluctantly holding his arms up so Ben could undress him. The crown prince wanted to practice _that_ too, and Chad had more or less resigned himself to it after Ben had promised to show him a secret library of ancient magic texts _and_ a trip to the restricted section in the Auradon Museum. 

“But you’ll like it!” Ben chirped, doing his best to make as much contact with Chad’s body as possible as he slid his shirt off of him. Ben had already offered himself up for Chad’s own practice needs but Chad had declined on the basis of _not being a psycho_ , to which Ben had pouted and then immediately pounced for the hem of his shirt. “At least, I’m pretty sure you will.”

“And _there’s_ the disclaimer,” Chad grumbled, wishing his breath wouldn’t catch at the first feel of Ben popping the button on his shorts, taking his time unzipping Chad’s fly until he coaxed the garment off of him.

“I mean, based on everything I’ve seen so far, you’ll like it.” Ben sunk to his knees because he was an asshole who felt the need to nuzzle against Chad’s groin, like that was a thing Audrey would ever want him to do. “But if you _don’t,_ we’ll stop and do things you do like.”

“How is this supposed to help you practice?” Chad asked, Ben’s hands seeming content to rest on his hips while he just sort of breathed Chad in. “ _Ben_.”

“You smell good,” Ben murmured, lips obliviously shifting against _Chad_ and it was not fair that he was this embarrassing. Audrey had her work cut out for her with this schmuck.

“Yes, _of course_ I do, I’m a prince,” Chad snapped, trying not to shift his weight restlessly. One of Ben’s hands had shifted to caress his inner thigh, just under the hem of his boxer briefs. “And _you’re_ a weirdo.”

“Seem to like it,” Ben hummed, pressing a kiss to the stirring interest between Chad’s legs. Even with the material between them Chad felt like he was on fire, which was unfair on every level. “But I guess we can save it for the shower.”

“Yes,” Chad hissed. “Because that’s where we’re supposed to be doing this.”

“Spoilsport,” Ben murmured, and then teasingly slid Chad’s underwear off, pressing kisses against his leg as he went.

Because Chad was the adult between them, he was the one waiting in the shower while Ben scrambled to get his own clothes off. “Is there any reason I can’t turn the water on yet?” He felt stupid standing behind the glass without anything to offer camouflage.

“Because we need to _practice_ ," Ben mumbled behind the shirt trapped over his head. Eventually, he pulled it off, stumbling into the shower as he abandoned his pants and underwear in one go. “Got something.” He held up what seemed to be a tiny tube of… gel. Maybe lotion? Chad honestly didn’t want to know.

“…hooray?” Chad drawled, cocking a brow at him.

Ben was undeterred, because his enthusiasm knew no bounds. “Check it,” he said, drawing Chad close against him.

There would eventually come a day where Chad _wasn’t_ as horribly affected by the press of Ben’s naked body against his own, but it was not that day, not when Ben was kissing him like _that_ (the practice actually paying off because he’d gotten better, sucking and nipping at Chad’s lips in a way that wasn’t clumsy and dumb). Chad groaned into the kiss, groaned louder when he felt Ben’s wet heat prodding against his hip, and knew he likely wasn’t long for this world. 

And then Ben was squeezing his ass.

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad broke off the kiss with a grumble, because for _whatever fucking reason_ he really liked it when Ben touched his butt, despite the fact that he knew this was a thing he _should not do_.

“Don’t be embarrassed,” Ben said, which was easy for him because he was not the one who got _excited_ about un-princely things. “You feel good, I like making you feel good. We both win.”

“Audrey isn’t going to _want this_.” Chad didn’t actually know what the princess would want in the bedroom, he didn’t even want to conceptualize it, but it felt like a solid defense when dealing with Ben and his grabby hands.

“How do you know?” Ben pressed, finally seeing a way around Chad’s argument. “Shouldn’t I be good at it just in case?”

He paused his um- _squeezing_ to squirt something from that tube onto his fingers, and Chad wished it wasn’t _behind_ his back so he could see what it was. He couldn’t really smell anything, and Ben was doing his best to be suitably distracting, sucking on Chad’s lips again until he was shuddering against his chest.

Which was wonderfully enticing before he felt one those hands slide between his cheeks, searching higher until slick digits pressed against his-

“ _Ben_.” Chad was flushing down to his toes, horribly embarrassed by how- _positively_ his body reacted to that. “ _What are you doing?_ ”

“Um...” Ben blinked his big dumb eyes at Chad. “…anal stimulation?”

Chad was pretty sure he was going to die. Those were words he had never expected to hear from the _prince of Auradon_. What was Chad even doing?

“That’s not a _thing_ ,” Chad hissed, determined to hold onto that logic.

“Of course it’s a thing,” Ben countered, pulling his hand back and letting his _whatever_ slicked fingers curl around Chad’s hip. “I looked it up and everything. People do it all the time.”

“I’m pretty sure princes don’t,” Chad countered, shifting uneasily which didn’t really _help_ , because that just made him brush against Ben who was very much naked and very much aroused and apparently wanted to put his fingers in Chad’s butt. 

Ben rolled his eyes. “If we went by what society thought princes did, we’d never get past holding hands,” he pointed out. “Look, we don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. We can go back to kissing – we both like kissing, but I thought maybe you’d like to try this, and if you _did_ , I could practice in um… in case Audrey wanted it or whatever.”

Chad considered this proposition with narrowed eyes, his heart pounding in his chest. The few brushes he had felt against um- _that_ place had been nice, he supposed. He probably shouldn’t like it, but Ben did have a fair point. If they went by society’s expectations for everything, there would never be any new royals. It wasn’t like they could procreate with chaste kisses and held hands. 

He sighed. “Just don’t be a tool about this.”

Ben brightened up. “I’m not a tool about anything!” he lied, then got right back to work. 

With that, Ben’s fingers returned, beginning to press and massage Chad’s entrance like that was a thing he apparently wanted to do. 

If this didn’t prove what a weirdo Ben was, Chad didn’t know what _did_. 

“B-Ben,” he gasped, feeling himself twitch against Ben’s thigh. “Fucking-”

“It’s natural,” Ben said, like he was quoting one of those educational movies they had to separate the boys and girls at school to watch. Ben’s fingers were slow but firm, teasing around him and a traitorous part of Chad wondered when they would go _inside_. “And you seem to like it.”

“Don’t say that,” Chad hissed, even if it was unquestionably true. It was like vocalizing it would somehow manage to summon his grandfather so Chad could be berated into appropriate shamefulness.

“I’m not going to shout it to the world or anything,” Ben’s replied. “But I told you I liked making you feel good. And this is you, feeling good.” 

Like a call for torture, Chad could feel one of those slick digits _slowly_ press inside him – so very insubstantial but Chad felt like he was getting torn apart because it was _Ben_. Chad had the _prince of Auradon’s_ finger inside him and he’d agreed to it because he wanted _books_.

…honestly, Chad had no regrets with the arrangement, he just thought maybe he’d feel a stir of wounded pride at some point. Guess he didn’t have any. 

“Oh, fuck,” Chad gasped, clinging to Ben. “Fuck, Ben.”

“I know,” Bun murmured against his hair, giving his hip a comforting squeeze before he pushed _deeper_ , stretching against Chad’s insides. “I’m glad you like it.”

He was- pumping it now, gradually moving it in and out and Chad could feel himself clutching around it, like he wanted more, and he didn’t know _what_ he wanted except for Ben to keep going even when they really shouldn’t be doing this.

“I’m gonna add a second one,” Ben said, like a herald of the apocalypse, and Chad found himself brokenly moaning into Ben’s chest as he worked in a second digit, using it to stretch Chad wide, pumping in and out again as he added more lube.

“Ben,” Chad- mewled. “Ben, I’m gonna- you can’t tell-”

“I’m not gonna _tell_ ,” Ben chided him, like it was obvious, like Chad hadn’t just handed him a tool to be his undoing (Ben was too kind and too sheltered to think of destroying someone with something like this but one day that might change and that terrified Chad). “You’re helping me, remember?”

This did not feel like Chad was helping him, it didn’t feel like Ben was getting much out of this at all, and were it not for the firmness against Chad’s hip he would have thought the prince was unaffected as he slid another finger into Chad. 

“There you go,” Ben soothed, urging Chad’s hips into his own, coaxing his fingers deeper. “That’s it. You’re doing great.”

“Ben,” Chad gasped. “Ben, Ben, _Ben-_ ”

He cut off with a gasp, Ben’s fingers brushing against _something_ that seemed to light a fire in him, firm and sudden that had him shuddering forward, clutching desperately to Ben’s shoulders.

“ _There_ ,” he whined, shoving his hips back onto Ben’s digits. “Please- right there, Ben.”

“There?” the prince shoved deeper and _curled_ , rocking Chad to the very core he didn’t realize he possessed.

“ _Yessss_ ,” Chad cried, feeling like he was about to fall apart. “Right there. Please, Ben. _Please_.”

“Well, since you asked so nicely,” Ben drawled, going for a form of sultry Chad would mock had he not started to pump his fingers with a vengeance, finding that explosive spot within Chad every time, until he was a hopelessly quivering mess.

“Ben.” It was like Chad knew no other words. “Ben, I’m gonna- _Ben_.”

“Just like this,” Ben urged low in his ears, rutting himself against Chad before grinding him down on his fingers. “Just like this, Chad, with me inside you.”

Those were words Chad should never hear. “ _Ben!_ ”

He felt himself come undone, Ben following half a second after, coaxing both of them through the aftershocks. When they were finished, he let Chad slump against him, his fingers still buried deep, like a taunt. 

“… _Fuck_ ,” Chad moaned, feeling thoroughly spent.

“Knew you’d like it,” Ben chirped, obviously proud of himself for detecting Chad’s… perversions, or whatever. 

He gave them a few minutes to sort of settle into themselves before he pulled Chad from the shower, actually turning the damn thing on so they could get clean. Chad consciously avoided looking at himself in the mirror, though that didn’t stop Ben from appreciating the view himself, parting Chad’s cheeks so he could get a clear view of his slick and stretched entrance.

“ _Wow_ ,” he murmured, like it was actually an amazing thing. Maybe it was amazing how much Chad had been into it. “Man, am I glad you got to visit for the summer.”

“That makes one of us,” Chad grumbled, but then Ben was tugging him back into the spray, making a proper nuisance of himself as he washed Chad down, just like always.

This was- it was fine. They were fine.

Probably.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Ben drove them out to the Auradon royal family’s secret camping lodge in the woods, eagerly showing off his special heir to the crown driving allowance that allotted him a driver’s license where the rest of them had to wait until they were sixteen, and Chad did _not_ mutter about it because it gave him more time to read his books. 

As either a passive aggressive countermeasure or general personality flaw, Ben retaliated by humming under his breath most of the ride, but the joke was on him because Chad found it soothing, tapping his feet along to the melody in the few instances where he acknowledged the outside world. 

“Here it is,” Ben said, as though Chad could not _see_ the luxury camping lodge nestled beyond the multiple security checks. “Casa del Beast.”

“Pretty sure that’s offensive,” Chad muttered, sending a mental apology to the entirety of Avalor before sliding out of the car, snatching up his bag before Ben could think to do it for him. 

The lodge layout was mostly open concept, high ceilings and hard wood everywhere, giving a sheik but cozy feel. There was a deck with an infinity pool that came complete with a fire pit in the backyard, but Ben bypassed all of these to drag Chad to what he claimed as _his_ bedroom – which featured a stone mantel fireplace and wooden crossbeams, a cozy quilt spread across the queen size bed and wolf pelt rugs on the floor. Maybe one of his father’s conquests from when he’d saved Queen Belle, back in the day. 

“No,” Chad said before Ben could get any big ideas. “Pretty flowers first.”

“Of _course_ you’d be into rare plant life,” Ben groaned, but he dutifully changed into hiking gear, following Chad’s lead. 

They spent the afternoon searching through the surrounding wilderness for magic-enhanced plants that were technically illegal to cultivate or pick or interact with in any fashion and collecting appropriate samples that Chad could seed into his own restricted garden back home. He’d been cultivating it for years now in his efforts to explore potion making as a form of magic that could be practiced by the non-magically inclined. Once that magic ban was inevitably lifted (it was one of his lifetime goals) he wanted as firm an understanding over the avenues of magic he _could_ learn. He needed to be at least a modest authority if he wanted to have any ground to stand on. 

Ben was moderately helpful, seeming interested in the search and grateful for the fresh air, dutifully splitting the sample load with Chad before dragging them back towards the Lodge when night began to fall. 

Chad made them a quick dinner of macaroni and cheese from scratch (peasant food, and _noodles_ , which he rarely had time to boil) that earned Ben’s awed appreciation before they clambered towards Ben’s bathroom to get cleaned up. 

To Chad’s surprise, Ben let him take the first shower by himself which was immediately suspicious, though less so when he came _out_ of the shower to find that his clothes were gone.

The _fucker_.

Chad dried himself off before wrapping a towel around his waist, prowling back into the room to see a slightly damp Ben, who must have cleaned up in a different shower.

“You’re an immature _child_ ,” Chad grumbled, searching for his bag and frowning when he couldn’t find it. “Ben-”

“I wanna practice giving you a massage,” Ben declared, gesturing Chad towards the bed. “With regular, non-magic oil.”

“You’re so dumb,” Chad grumbled, but he went ahead and followed Ben’s not so subtle hints, seeing as he _had_ collected a lot of samples that day. He frowned when he realized the bed was covered in another one of those wolf fur pelts. “Ben…”

“It’s soft,” Ben insisted, running his fingers through it. “Come on, you’ll like it.”

With a dramatic _sigh_ , Chad climbed onto the bed, folding his arms under his head and brushing against the silky wolf fur. It actually was pretty nice. 

“Here.” Ben urged him forward to where he obviously had a pillow situated under the pelt, angling it so it was just under Chad’s hips. “That’s good.”

“You just want to look at my butt,” Chad mumbled, honestly not getting the appeal of this and a little embarrassed by the position, but it was only a _massage_ , he hoped. Not like- what they did in the shower.

Though he’d liked that.

“Always,” Ben chirped, and then he was rubbing warmed oil into Chad’s back.

In a rare show of events Ben actually did what he’d promised for Chad, working the muscles of his shoulders until they were loose and relaxed before dropping lower, kneading into Chad’s lower back. It was comforting to feel Ben’s hands brush against his sides, digging into the tense spots Chad hadn’t realized he’d had before he was a boneless mess, half ready to fall asleep in the arms of the pelt’s furry embrace.

And then Ben started working on his legs. 

He settled on Chad’s calves, easing their tension before moving steadily higher. He took his time on Chad’s quads, grazing the inside of his thighs until a familiar heat had formed, which was likely always the point, but-

Chad still wasn’t ready when Ben’s hands settled on his butt, squeezing them through the soft material of the towel because he really was an immature _child_.

“Okay, so I wanna try something,” Ben said, and there, _there_ it was – there was the catch. “I think you’ll like it but I also think it might freak you out, so…”

“So don’t do it,” Chad grumbled, shifting his hips so that he ground down against the soft curve of the pillow. _Ugh_ , stupid hormones. 

“Yes, but if I don’t try, we’ll never learn,” Ben said cheerfully. “So, why don’t we take this one step at a time?”

“Sure that won’t overwhelm you?” Chad asked crankily. “It seems like a lot to ask for-”

“Chad,” Ben interrupted, neatly cutting off Chad’s snarky diatribe. “May I take off your towel?”

“Sure,” Chad sighed, figuring that he may as well get this over with. 

“Thank you,” Ben chirped, and then he pulled Chad’s towel _completely_ away, leaving him bare against the fur. 

The _shit_. 

“Ben.” Chad tried to glare over his shoulder but the movement only ground his hips against the pelt that he was getting close to _defiling_. “You aren’t funny.”

“But you’re so pretty,” Ben said, setting his hands on Chad’s butt before _squeezing_. “Sort of like art, posed out like this. Does the fur feel good?”

“I’m going to get it dirty.”

“Not the question I asked,” Ben chirped, seeming content to grope Chad’s rear, and apparently Chad was also content to let him do that. “Does it feel good?”

“Sure,” Chad grumbled, trying hard not to dwell on the soft shift of fur against his groin. “I’ll give it a solid eight out of ten.” 

“I’ll be sure to write that on the tag,” Ben chirped. “Okay, so um- this will be a little different than last time…”

“What?” Chad interrupted. “You gonna stick your fingers up- you know?”

“Nope,” Ben said, filling Chad with simultaneous and conflicting urges of relief and disappointment. “I um- wanna taste you.”

“Taste what?” Chad said, trying to ignore the sudden spike of anxiety that surged through him. 

“…you?” Ben offered. “I’m gonna put my mouth on you.”

It took a few moments for Chad to connect the dots. “ _On my butt?_ ”

“Yeah!” Ben chirped, seeming thrilled that Chad had made this connection. “It’s another thing I read about!”

“You need to stop doing that,” Chad grumbled. “I realize that’s asking for a lot, but you’re only looking for trouble. In fact, I doubt Audrey will want to have sex with you at all. I bet she’s had about a million hours of chastity training.”

“ _Or_ , Ben countered. “-she will be so put up with the training she’s had that she’ll revolt hard in the opposite direction, in which case I need to be prepared, so-” He squeezed Chad’s butt again. “May I?”

Chad sighed. They _had_ gotten a lot of plants that day. Plants he would not have otherwise had access to without Ben. 

It was a small surrender, in the grand scheme of things. 

“Go for it,” Chad grumbled, resting his head in the fold of his arms.

“If you don’t like it, we can stop,” Ben said, hands already parting Chad’s cheeks, leaning forward. “We’ll have bathtub cuddle times instead. Or we can do that regardless, just-”

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad griped, because he could feel his warm breath brushing against sensitive areas it likely shouldn’t ever be brushing against. “Just do it already.”

“Okay,” Ben chirped, more or less diving in.

Things started off seemingly innocent with a kiss, only it was – you know, _down there_ , and then Ben started licking, getting higher and that was a thing he should _not_ do.

Chad had expected it to feel odd, what he was _not_ prepared for was to, for whatever reason, _like_ it. 

But he did. His body was back to building up that distinct heat, settling hard between his legs while Ben did his best to lavish Chad’s rear with his dumb tongue. He grazed against Chad’s entrance, making a horrible _moan_ spill from the blond’s throat, his hips grinding reflexively down into the fur.

“Like that?” He could _hear_ Ben’s grin. “Gonna see if I can eat you out properly.”

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad whined, but the other prince was already back in action, teasing him relentlessly with this horrible, wonderful thing. 

Chad was pretty sure he could fall no further, _knowing_ this was a thing he liked. The other thing didn’t seem so bad, comparatively, but each flick of Ben’s tongue made him go wild, made him want to abandon the control he worked so hard for. It was maddening but somehow manageable, but then Ben pushed his tongue _into_ Chad.

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad croaked, burying his face in his arms. “ _Fuck_ , Ben, you can’t-” He kept just- thrusting it _in_. “I’m gonna-”

Lose it to _this_ debasing thing, but Ben just kept urging his hips back towards his mouth, trying to get a better angle as he let Chad rut into the fur that he was- soiling, that he was going to ruin because he was _so close_.

“ _Ben_.” Chad didn’t know what else to say, was biting at his lips with frustration to keep the broken moans from spilling out. All the tension that had left him during Ben’s massage had returned with a vengeance, making his body feel like a metal string that had been pulled taunt, until he was shaking and horrified and aroused all at once.

“Do you feel good?” Ben asked, pressing kisses against him again. “Chad?”

A croaked sort of moan of frustration crawled from Chad’s throat. 

Immediately, Ben stopped, crawling up the bed to get a look at Chad’s face. “Chad? Are you okay?”

“ _No_.” Chad hid his face in his arms, hating himself and his stupid traitorous body. “I’m going to get it _dirty_.”

“The… the pelt?” Ben paused, then gathered Chad in his arms before relocating them to a nearby couch. “We have like, a hundred of them,” he huffed as he settled Chad in his lap, resting so that Chad’s back was against his chest. “Sorry if I made you worry, I just wanted you to feel good.”

“Right.” Chad’s voice felt tight like his shoulders, like his- dumb, stupid _need_.

“Hey.” Ben nuzzled his hair, tracing his hands up and down Chad’s tense abdomen. “What else is wrong?”

“Just-” Chad wanted to hide his face but Ben was holding onto both of his hands in a stupid modified hug. “You shouldn’t- I shouldn’t _like that_.”

“What?” Ben seemed genuinely confused by that. “Being eaten out?”

“Don’t _say it_ ,” Chad hissed, cheeks filling with a furious heat.

“…Chad.” Ben was kissing his shoulder, his neck, rubbing at Chad’s hip until he lost an edge of his tension. “There’s nothing wrong with enjoying that.”

“Yes there _is_ ,” Chad snapped. “They’ll think I’m…” A freak. More than he already was. “Gross.”

“Who will?” Ben murmured against his neck. “Your partner? Chad, this is perfectly natural. And it’s not like I’m going to tell anyone, it’s none of their business.”

“But-”

“Besides,” Ben pressed on. “I enjoy _doing_ that to you.” Chad shivered, unable to help himself, suddenly aware of the firmness between Ben’s legs. “What does that say about me?”

“…that you’re eccentric?” Chad didn’t know how to explain that Ben got every pass there was because he was going to be king of _Auradon_ one day, and Chad was just… Chad. “Or, I dunno, generous towards your messed-up bed partners?”

“You’re not _messed up_ ,” Ben growled, holding Chad close to his chest. “It’s perfectly _natural_. But, if you’re not comfortable with it, we don’t have to do it anymore.”

A small, broken part of Chad felt a sting of disappointment, but he ruthlessly squashed it down, focusing on the more important efforts of maintaining his composure. “…that’s probably for the best.”

“Then what would you like to do?” Ben asked, letting his hand splay across Chad’s bare thigh. “We could always call it a night. Maybe take a bath instead?”

“But your practice,” Chad grumbled, because he’d gotten _his_ end of the deal, it wasn’t fair for Ben not to get his even though it had been unquestionably weird.

“I’ll kiss your neck in the tub,” Ben decided, and his will was done.

Ben even broke out a stash of emergency candles to light the room up _that_ way instead of turning on the lights. It was stupid, but it left a cool sort of ambience so Chad didn’t mind. Ben ended up sucking a hickey onto his collarbone in the tub (full of more bubbles, of course) before Ben finished him off with a hand between his legs, coaxing Chad into a messy release that he followed not long after, somehow excited by the transgressions. 

They cleaned off in the shower (again), trading the occasional kiss ( _after_ Ben used mouthwash) before they collapsed naked into the bed, curled against one another.

“Do we need clothes?” Chad asked, a legitimate question as he felt the dregs of exhaustion begin to pull him under. It had been a long day.

“Clothes are overrated,” Ben rumbled, nuzzling his shoulder. “Unless you want them?”

Chad considered this. He was tired, Ben was tired, and this seemed like a dude thing – guys shared communal showers, after all, this didn’t seem that much different.

It was fine, and trying to convince Ben to leave the bed for _pants_ truly wasn’t worth the effort, especially if Chad sure as shit wasn’t going to do it. For once, they could indulge themselves. It wasn’t like they hadn’t _just_ naked cuddled in the bathtub. 

Chad felt okay with that compromise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, everybody!! Thanks for all the lovely feedback!! I'm always grateful to hear from you guys, so thank you for taking the time to reach out to me :D
> 
> Story notes:
> 
> I don’t know about you guys, but in like, fourth or fifth grade is when all the kids at my school were split up to watch the puberty videos that covered the changes our bodies would be going through. Figured they probably did the same at Auradon schools, lol. 
> 
> Until next time :)


	3. The Royal Retreat

“Enjoying the sunshine?”

“Shouldn’t you be swimming laps, or something?” Chad mumbled into the pillow of his arms, making no effort to look up at the prince who was blocking his sun. “Like the manic little puppy you are?”

“Puppy,” Ben chirped, sitting on the edge of Chad’s lounger. “I like it. That can be my pet name.”

“As if Audrey would go for that,” Chad muttered, knowing it was a hopeless cause anyway. Ben had left the water sometime earlier so he wasn’t dripping all that much, body mostly dry from his perusal through the private cabin.

“Why do you say these things?” Ben whined, flopping himself down so that his head was even with Chad’s waist, his stupid long legs dangling over the end of the lounger. “Go around, crushing my dreams.”

“Your dream was to be a puppy?” On second thought, that didn’t seem too unreasonable for Ben. “Never mind. It’s good to encounter letdowns in life, it keeps you humble.”

“I _am_ humble,” Ben insisted, which would have been slightly more believable if his hand hadn’t wandered onto Chad’s ass.

Chad, who was lying on his stomach in an effort to even out his tan in an area that was inaccessible to both paparazzi and potential assassins, shot him an unimpressed look. “Is _this_ a shower?”

“Come on,” Ben whined, squeezing Chad through the squishy material of his swimsuit. “This place is totally secure, and your butt’s so cute.”

“Don’t I know it,” Chad mumbled, burying his face in his arms in an effort to hide his flush, because he _didn’t_ actually know it, this was just a theory that Ben seemed determined to confirm.

“So humble,” Ben groaned, shoving his face against Chad’s thigh. “…I was thinking-”

“No.”

“ _You’ll like it_ ,” Ben whined, groping his butt with more intent. “I promise. And then we can watch all those awful documentaries-”

“They are _art_ and therefore _pretty-_ ” Chad muttered, trying to hold onto his cover.

“And I’ll even listen to your commentary for the rest of the day, even if we’re at an _outdoor_ retreat.”

Chad considered his options. “…no groping me during the movies.”

“Can I have you in my lap?” Ben immediately countered, a sucker for- something. Chad didn’t know.

Chad shrugged. “It’s your legs that will fall asleep.”

“Yes, _it is_ ,” Ben said, trying to be sly but only managing to be stupid because he was stupid.

Chad sighed. “… _fine_.”

“Yay!” Ben _literally_ cheered, and Chad had all of two seconds to despair for Auradon’s future before he felt his swim trunks get pulled down his thighs.

“You are incorrigible,” Chad grumbled, just for the record.

“Maybe,” Ben allowed, letting his fingers trace the curve of Chad’s rear with an easy sort of reverence. “I _did_ bring lube.”

There was the tell-tale squish of lubricant being slathered onto Ben’s fingers before he was guiding them between Chad’s cheeks, parting them wide.

“You’re such a weirdo,” Chad muttered, swallowing down a moan because Ben got better at this every day, knew exactly what to do to have Chad humping against the lounger. “I don’t see what you’re getting out of this.”

“I get to see you be cute,” Ben offered, and Chad could _feel_ the heat from Ben’s breath against him, the prince hovering close as he worked a finger into Chad like it was nothing, making Chad’s toes curl. “And you’ve got such a cute little-”

“This is not information I need to hear,” Chad mumbled, _because he already knew it_ was the implication but it was mostly because _Ben_ was talking about such _nonsense_ things and that seemed to affect Chad a _lot_.

“Okay, okay,” Ben muttered, working a second finger in. “Just- you like that?”

“ _Yes_.” Chad sort of hated that Ben always asked him this under the guise of being helpful, when it was really just reminding Chad how far he had fallen.

“You feel so good,” Ben moaned, and Chad wondered if he was fondling himself, if he’d pushed his own swimsuit down so he could pleasure both of them at once. “Twitch so pretty.”

Chad groaned and sort of hated himself.

He could _feel_ Ben perk up. “Do you like that? When I say you’re pretty?”

“Shut _up_ , Ben,” Chad snapped, wishing the ground would swallow him whole.

“I think you do,” Ben decided. He withdrew his slick fingers to trace them down Chad’s sides, shifting his hips so that his butt was sticking up in the air, which was _horrifying_ but then Chad realized it was so Ben could reach between his legs and _really_ torture him. “I think you like this a lot. Breaking rules. Being _naughty_.”

“Do you listen to yourself talk?” Chad tried to grumble even though he was unashamedly shifting his hips between Ben’s hands, knowing he was not much longer for this world because Ben had snuck in a third finger. “There’s an appropriate level of decorum-”

“And we’re _breaking_ it,” Ben sang, pumping him relentlessly. “And that makes you so very hot. We should do this at a ball.”

“We are not doing that.” There were no _books_ that would allow Chad to think otherwise. “You would get found out in half a second and then _I_ would get in trouble.”

“I wouldn’t let that happen,” Ben declared, as though he had any kind of authority over protecting his own reputation when he really did it.

“You’re an idiot,” Chad reminded him, close to incoherent, and then whatever Ben was going to say next got interrupted by his obnoxious ringtone.

It was _‘Be our Guest’_ which likely meant it was Queen Belle, and with great reluctance Ben let go of the heat between Chad’s legs so he could fumble for his phone. 

The fingers _inside_ of Chad, however, kept going.

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad hissed, craning his neck to look at the other teen. “Ben, you _fuck_.”

“Hi, mom!” Ben chirped, cradling the phone to his ear. “How are you?” There was a pause while he continued to tease Chad, starting to pump his fingers faster, curling against that _certain spot_ until the heat between his legs was _throbbing_. “We’re good, thanks!” Ben continued. “We’re just making use of the pool, now. Well, I am – Chad’s working on his tan.”

He buried his fingers _deep_ when he said that, hard enough that Chad had to bite onto his forearm to keep his moans from spilling out.

“Would you like to talk to him?” Ben continued, making Chad tense but that was a horrible idea because it only made things feel better. “Chad, my mom wants to talk to you.”

He shoved the phone in Chad’s direction, Chad doing his best to give an _‘I hate you_ ’ face while he set the damn thing against his ear, hoping Ben would be slightly _less_ of a shit.

“H-Hi, Queen Belle,” he murmured, biting at his lip when Ben chose to use his free hand between Chad’s legs again.

“ _Hi, Chad_ ,” she was so nice and sweet and definitely didn’t deserve a loser like Ben for a son. “ _Are you okay? You sound a little out of breath_.”

“Yeah, um-” Chad struggled to think of an excuse. “B-Ben challenged me to a race. You _know_ how he gets.” He bit onto his forearm again when Ben started to get a bit more determined, coaxing Chad’s hips faster.

“ _Yeah_ ,” the queen laughed. “ _My son **can** be relentless. Don’t let him push you around too much, okay sweetie?_”

“I won’t,” Chad lied, because he’d already crossed that line days ago. “T-Thanks for checking in on us, Queen Belle.” Ben seemed determined to stretch him wide as slow and obscenely as possible, and Chad was real close to smacking the dumbass in the face. “We appreciate it.”

“ _I always look out for my boys_ ,” the queen murmured, and now was really _not_ the time to swell with warmth at the prospect of being included in that generosity, because it was just a small thing and of _course_ the queen was going to extend it to him but Chad’s mom had been dead for so long that it was easy to forget what a mother’s love felt like.

And now he was thinking about _that_ while Ben was driving him crazy.

“ _Could you give the phone back to Ben_?” Queen Belle continued. “ _I’ll tell him to take it easy on you_.”

“Please _do_ ,” Chad gasped, thighs shaking from exertion, and he all but hurled the phone back to Ben, who caught it with a laugh.

“Hi, mom!” he chirped. “Yeah, of course. I promise I’m not- _yes_ , I’m telling the truth.”

_Liar, liar, plants for hire._

“I’m a good host,” Ben sniffed. “I won’t do anything Chad doesn’t like.”

Considering the fact that Chad had _hands_ and probably could have crawled away at some point during that conversation instead of just, embarrassingly taking it was probably both a good and bad indication of that.

“ _Mom_ ,” Ben groaned. “We’re fine. We’ve got enough food to see us through the next few days. We’re just going to explore. _Responsibly_.” Responsibly, Chad’s _ass_.

Literally.

_Ugh_ , Chad hated himself sometimes.

“Okay, mom,” Ben chirped. “Love you too. I’ll call you tonight.” A pause. “Bye.”

It was only when Chad was sure that he’d hung up the phone that Chad surged into action, pushing up on his hands and knees and turning so he could grab Ben by his stupid shoulders. This earned him a _delightful_ expression of shock before he had Ben pinned down against the lounger, looking up at Chad was wide eyes, his cheeks flushed because he was insatiable. 

Chad refused to focus on it, flipping through Ben’s contacts while the phone was unlocked, a thrill of triumph surging through him when he located the appropriate name.

“You’re such a shit,” Chad muttered, palming the hardness between Ben’s legs and watching him moan, Ben taken completely off guard. Certain unspoken rules had been established over the course of their _‘practicing’_ and Chad not-touching Ben was one of them (excluding the oil thing Chad refused to talk about), mostly because if this all turned south, he didn’t want the other prince to have any ammunition against him.

That ended today. 

“ _Chad_ ,” Ben groaned, rutting into his palm brokenly. “ _Fuck_ , Chad-”

“Quiet,” Chad hissed, wedging the phone against his shoulder so he could pull Ben’s swim trunks down his legs. 

The phone picked up after the second ring. “ _Hi, Benny-Boo_ ,” Audrey purred with a sort of seductive confidence that came from being the heir to three kingdoms.

“Hey, Audrey,” Chad drawled, reveling in the way the color seemed to drain from Ben’s face. “It’s Chad.”

Immediately, Audrey’s tone changed. “ _What are you doing with Ben’s phone, **Chad**?_”

“Being a bro,” Chad replied easily, setting his hands on Ben’s um- bare genitals for the first time and managing not to freak out due to _spite_. “See, Ben has this thing he’s been dying to ask you, but he’s just- real shy, so I thought I’d initiate contact myself. You know, do the hard part for him.”

Audrey was back to being pleased. “ _Did he, now?_ ”

“Yep.” Ben seemed lost between whimpering under Chad’s administrations and blushing so hard he might pass out, which was exactly what he _deserved_. “I’m going to hand the phone over to him, now. Please be gentle.”

“ _I’m always gentle-_ ” Audrey snarled, but Chad was already pressing the phone against Ben’s ear, letting her be _Ben’s_ problem while he got to giving the prince of Auradon a handjob.

“H-Hi, Audrey,” Ben gasped, swallowing a whine when Chad squeezed some lubricant directly onto him, massaging it all around his- equipment to make things an easier ride. “Yeah, um- I was just thinking that-” He bit down on his lip as Chad began to pump him with a vengeance. “That uh- dance you were talking about? The um- Fall Ball? Yeah, it’s a great idea.”

He paused, likely so Audrey could snipe about how _of course_ it was a good idea, it had _been_ a good idea the last few times Ben had turned her down over it due to it creating ‘an unnecessary number of social events’ but Chad guessed it was a thing now.

“So uh- you can- like you said, get a planning committee together…” Ben trailed off, hips grinding into Chad’s hold. “Yeah, I know it’s summer. I just- I wanted to talk to you before I forgot.” He laughed awkwardly; bit his lip so it wouldn’t slide into a moan. “You know how I get so…” His throat bobbed in a swallow. “Yeah, that was all I- yes, I’m sure.” And now Audrey was going to be pissed at _Chad_ but whatever, this was totally worth it. “Hey Audrey, I gotta go, I’ll talk to you later, okay?”

He said the last of this in a rush, ending the call with a vicious swipe of his phone before tossing it onto a pile of towels.

“You’re so _mean_ ,” he hissed, sitting up and grabbing Chad by his hips, dragging him _forward_ until their arousals ground together. “ _Fuck_ , that was awful. We’re now going to have an extra stupid dance because of you.”

“ _You_ started it,” Chad snapped, groaning when Ben just- wrapped his hands around _both of them_ and started pumping. “Your _mom_ , Ben? What the fuck. What the _actual_ fuck.”

“You liked it,” Ben muttered, seeming determined to get them as close together as possible. “I could feel you twitching-”

“I don’t want to hear about this,” Chad mumbled against Ben’s shoulder, trying to stifle his moans as Ben worked him faster. “You are the worst and I’m revoking lap privileges.”

“ _What_?” Ben groaned. “Come on-”

Chad pulled him into a kiss so he would stop talking, content to travel the very short road to their climax with Ben moaning into his mouth. It was ludicrous, the entire situation, being _outside_ and mostly naked in an obscure royal location, rutting against the future _king_ and it was so very dumb Chad almost couldn’t believe it.

“Chad,” Ben mumbled against his lips. “I’m gonna- you’re so hot, I’m gonna-”

“Just _come_ , you idiot,” Chad snarled, and like he was waiting for permission, Ben came undone, making such a lovely mess that Chad followed a second after him, groaning in disbelief and arousal and frustration and _fuck_.

Eventually, they collapsed side-by-side, facing each other, very much spent and very much exposed to the great outdoors.

“I swear, if you didn’t _actually_ end that phone call I will kill you,” Chad muttered, secure enough to make that threat because if Audrey had heard _any_ of that he would be dead by tomorrow anyway, no question.

“I ended it,” Ben moaned. “I was sure to end it. _Fuck_ , you think I want Audrey to scratch out my eyeballs? Or _your_ eyeballs?”

“Don’t think those are the balls you’re worried about,” Chad drawled, flushing in horror when he realized what he’d said, but Ben was already cackling.

“You made a sex joke,” Ben giggled, stupidly pleased with this. “I’m so proud.”

“You’ve _corrupted_ me, is what you’ve done,” Chad groused.

“And the world with thank me for it.” Ben seemed sure on this. “So uh… how’s about we ditch the swim trunks and explore the _outdoor shower?_ ”

“You’re insatiable,” Chad groaned, but he was already sliding out of his swimsuit, since it was mostly off of him as it was.

Ben _‘whooped’_ in victory. “Gotta good reason to be so, don’t you think?”

Chad refused to answer. He was sort of afraid what the reply would be.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Surprise of all surprises, the outdoor shower area came complete with a hot spring that Ben urged them into, wicked smile on his face all the way.

“It’s good for relaxing,” he drawled, which should have been Chad’s first indication that things were not what they seemed, because the moment he slid into the steamy water everything just got sort of _tingly_.

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad hissed when his rear seemed to emanate a sort of heat that settled hard between his legs, which set off a _new_ wave of teasing arousal that made him feel like he was going to lose himself. “What the _fuck_?”

“It specializes in relieving sore muscles,” Ben chirped, crowding him against the moss. “It’s supposed to get you real loose.”

“You’re such a fuck,” Chad decided, turning to climb out of the pool. “Didn’t you already have your fun?”

“I want you to feel good,” Ben murmured against his back, pressing kisses against Chad’s shoulder while his hands curled around the blond’s hips. “I didn’t get to finish you off the right way.”

“What do you even get out of this?” Chad snapped, unable to hold it in anymore. “Is it a power move?”

“What?” He could _hear_ the stupid expression on Ben’s face, like it wasn’t weird to enjoy having a dude’s fingers in your butt. “Do you think I’m… asserting my authority over you, like this?”

“Or you’re making fun of me,” Chad muttered, trying not to hang his head because he was a _prince_. He was strong. 

“ _Chad_ ,” Ben turned him, pulling Chad into a relentless hug like that could solve all of life’s problems. “ _No_. There’s nothing wrong with this. I just- I wanted you to feel good, okay?”

“ _Why_?” Chad needed to know, because he still didn’t have an answer beyond Ben possessing an inherent need to please everyone.

Ben thought about this for a moment. “Because we’re friends,” he decided. “And… you trust me. So I wouldn’t turn this against you.” He allowed Chad to angle against him, much like they had outside. “I’m sorry I didn’t make that clearer.”

“Of course you are.” Chad slumped against his chest, mind whirling. Why did he think Ben was capable of diabolic scheming? The only crafty thing about him was his relentless drive for sex.

“I’ll make it up to you,” Ben promised. “However you want. We can- I dunno, we’ll take the car and go to the museum tomorrow.”

Chad laughed at him. “Don’t be stupid, we’re out here we might as well do, um- princely things.”

“Well, we _are_ princes,” Ben drawled. “So technically whatever we do-”

“Ben,” Chad sighed, because he was all out of steam. “Shut up and kiss me.”

“Got it, boss.”

And then they defiled the ancient and likely sacred hot springs with their youthful fervor, but Chad didn’t even _care_ because Ben was kissing him slow and sweet, almost like a real romantic partner would.

As wary as Chad was of this ‘practicing’, he did learn _one_ thing from it. 

How it felt to have a doting partner, and the knowledge that he definitely wanted to secure one for the future. He didn’t know _how_ , but he wanted to. That was all that mattered. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

Despite Chad’s minimal and very weak protests, Ben dragged them out to the museum in Auradon city the next day. It took everything Chad had to maintain an aura of composed refinement, because visiting major museums in capital cities should be just be an average expectation in his life as a prince, but his grandfather had him so firmly on lockdown that the only museums Chad ever managed to visit were the ones he snuck into on his own time. The stupid _Tourney_ _training camp_ hadn’t been all that close to any learning centers of cultural significance, but that hadn’t stopped Chad from taking a sick day, hiring a car under a fake identity, and taking a four-hour trip to the nearest library/museum. Had he inevitably gotten caught? Sure, but he’d also gotten to learn about advanced government functions, so it was all very much a win in his book.

But now there was no sneaking, just Ben humming obnoxiously along to the radio while Chad read his book and tried not to lose his mind with anticipation, which wasn’t helped by Ben’s insistence on picking up breakfast, Ben getting some whip cream, chocolate drizzled frozen thing to drink while Chad stuck with tea and had a breakfast sandwich _thrust_ upon him by Ben’s stupid puppy eyes. 

By the time they actually got to the museum, Chad had his notebook and tablet at the ready, and was prepared for a day of _knowledge acquisition_ that sure, would end in a night of sex shenanigans, but at least Ben was getting _better_ at it, and it was sort of fun, for a temporary predicament.

“Your excitement is palpable,” Ben noted with an amused grin as they walked towards the museum, his hand casually brushing against Chad’s because he had no sense of _boundaries_.

“Shut up,” Chad hissed, and then immediately gave into his joy when he got to pin his visitor’s badge onto the front of the sweater Ben had loaned him, because the other prince had _insisted_ Chad wear Auradon colors to the Auradon museum. And he was going to be _king_ one day. _Ugh_.

It was worth it when they got to the museum, though. Worth it to get to see the artifacts that had shaped the history of Auradon _up close_ , see the original documents that had helped Ben’s kingdom transition from _France_ to _Auradon_ – which seemed awfully presumptuous because Auradon was just supposed to be the _union_ of kingdoms but whatever, Chad supposed since Ben’s dad was the one to put in the work to unite everyone, he could call his kingdom whatever he wanted.

“Hey,” Ben spoke up when Chad was in the middle of jotting down some notes on a scattering of Hanoven artifacts. “Is that Jane? I think that’s Jane.”

“Hm?” Chad looked up, still slightly absorbed in his work, and managed to catch Ben waving down the schoolmate Chad’s grandfather seemed so desperate to keep him from, who approached with her usual shyness.

“…hi, Ben,” she murmured, tugging at the end of her short bob. “Chad.”

“Hi, Jane.” Chad offered her his vaguest smile, as though to attribute their total lack of communication on his stupidity, rather than pompous, controlling family members. “Getting some summer research done?”

“Yeah.” Her head jerked in a shaky nod. “For my magical histories class.”

“We’re here for me,” Ben said, obnoxiously firm. “Chad was kind enough to take notes on my behalf.”

“I’m a _giver_ ,” Chad chuckled, offering Jane a flirtatious wink before allotting Ben a rarely earned point in the ‘ _helpful_ ’ column. At least he was trying to help with Chad’s cover. That counted.

“That’s… nice,” Jane settled on, her cheeks heating in a furious blush. 

Chad hadn’t thought about it much, because he wasn’t one to dwell on such things, but Jane actually was quite pretty. More importantly, she was _smart_ , which was a quality Chad tended to appreciate most in a person. Smart and magically-inclined, and her mother had been more generous to Chad’s family than he could possibly put into words. Maybe Jane could be a good queen for Sardinia one day. It was sort of its own fairy tale, with the bonus of giving his grandfather a conniption fit at the abundant lack of tradition. Obviously, if Chad _did_ marry Jane he would have to make sure his grandfather was completely out of the picture before they really settled to prevent any assassination attempts. Chad could probably gather enough evidence against him in the meantime, it could be done.

“Would you like to join us?” Chad pressed, Ben startling beside him before he managed to recover. “We were just about to go into the Hall of Villains.” 

“Oh.” Jane blinked, surprised by the invitation, before her cheeks flushed further. “Sure.”

Chad offered her his arm, something she didn’t seem to expect. She accepted it though, daintily hooking her arm through Chad’s elbow, and Chad tried to watch their reflection in the glass display cases. Yeah, that looked like a royal couple. Maybe Jane didn’t have a kingdom behind her, but he could _trust_ her, and when they worked to get rid of the magic ban together, their kids would get to guide Auradon into a new era of freedom. It was a nice picture. 

Of course, that was before Ben was a dope and deftly took Jane’s other arm with a goofy smile, _shattering_ the image with his dumb enthusiasm as he guided them forward.

“Yep,” Ben chirped. “Nothing like visiting the museum with some _friends_.”

Wow. Guy couldn’t stand being the third wheel for three seconds. What a mature _fuck_.

Whatever, Chad wasn’t going to let it ruin his fun. He’d always wanted to see the Hall of Villains with its wax recreations of the major antagonists that had plagued Auradon’s kingdoms. It was an intellectual curiosity, of course, to see what their parents had gone up against to find the peace they had managed today. Chad couldn’t really imagine what it was like to go up against a ‘reincarnation of pure evil’ in any kind of battle situation. The wars he fought were mostly in paperwork, battled over the course of long, soul-crushing years, and centered around his grandfather – who, while a stubborn piece of backwards shit – _did_ mean well, to an extent. It was simple misfortunate that Chad was the target of his ire, but there was nothing to be done for these things other than outlive him, and Chad would. He would bring Sardinia into an age of prosperity and open-mindedness, and give unto it the kindness his mother had never been able to share.

Jane shivered when they drew close to the statue of Maleficent, huddling close to Chad’s side. “Spooky,” she whispered, seeming too uncertain to dare raise her voice higher, as though the villainess had a chance of hearing her. “They said she was one of the strongest faes of all time.”

“Makes it kind of strange that she was beaten by a normal human,” Chad mused, taking in the sharp features of the fairy that had terrorized Auroria for so long.

“Yeah, but King Phillip was outfitted with iron,” Ben explained, managing the maturity to not give Jane weirdly intense looks to actually be helpful for a second. “Which rendered her magic useless.”

“Still,” Chad hummed, turning his eyes towards the other wax statues. “It makes you wonder what actually happened to her, in the end.”

Ben shrugged, looking thoughtful. “She died, I guess.”

“But… what about the other villains?” Jane whispered. It seemed like she hadn’t meant to voice the question because she immediately shrank under their combined focus, but seeing as she _had_ it, she managed to push through in her usual stuttering way. “They couldn’t have _all_ died, but they never talk about what happened to them.”

“Maybe they’re in prison?” Ben offered.

“Shouldn’t you know this?” Chad asked, allowing some of his normal annoyance to seep through his visage of _dumb_. “You’re going to be king one day.”

Like, _soon_.

“But I’m not _now_ ,” Ben pressed with a put-out huff. “I only have access to what happened to Gaston and my parents don’t like me looking into that.”

“I have the same issue with the Tremaines,” Chad admitted. “Their crimes weren’t critical enough to earn a death penalty, and yet it’s like they’ve been wiped off the face of Auradon. No records, no property, nothing.”

During one of Chad’s more desperate attempts to connect to his roots, he had gone looking for the house his mother had grown up in, the one where his father had fit the glass slipper onto her foot which should have been preserved as a historic landmark, only to find that the manor had been ‘accidentally’ demolished due to a misfiling of paperwork. His grandfather couldn’t even leave _that_ much behind. 

“…maybe Ben’s right,” Jane murmured, shifting slightly closer to Chad. “Maybe there’s a private prison somewhere that only the king and queen know about, only it’s not publicized so everyone can forget and not worry about it.”

“Editing history,” Chad grumbled, allowing his nose to scrunch in distaste before he remembered that he was supposed to be a ditz. “But you’re probably right, Jane. You’re so smart.”

“T-Thanks.” The pretty blush on Jane’s cheek darkened, and Chad was pretty sure if he was a less analytical soul he would find it very attractive. 

“You know what else is smart?” Ben cut in with a too-loud voice. “The ‘Kingdom Treasures’ exhibit, and look, it’s _right over there_.”

“Yes, Ben,” Chad through clenched teeth. “We can read the sign.”

“Let’s go that way!” Ben continued as though he hadn’t heard Chad, and then he proceeded to drag the other two, _well-mannered_ people out of the Hall of Villains and into the high-security room that held Auradon’s greatest treasures. This included Fairy Godmother’s wand, and Chad would be more interested in that (interested in getting _readings_ on it, or something) but his interest was pulled to a delicate pair of slippers displayed behind a velvet rope, making Chad’s heart squeeze in his chest.

“Oh… _wow_ ,” Jane murmured, her eyes going wide as they approached the one-of-a-kind footwear. “…they’re so _pretty_.”

“Yep,” Chad drawled, trying to hold onto his nonchalance to keep himself from falling apart. He’d only ever seen photos of the famous slippers, had managed to coax tale of their acquisition from the Captain of his father’s guard, but he’d never gotten to see them _up close_. “Your mom has good taste.”

“It’s crazy to think your mom danced in those,” Ben said, his gaze glued to the display case. “I mean- _glass slippers_.”

“ _Magic_ , glass slippers,” Chad clarified. “I’m sure that helped with the comfort and durability.”

“Did she tell any stories about them?” Jane asked, speaking up with a shy look. “Or anything about the ball?”

“…I don’t know,” Chad admitted, keeping his eyes fixed to the slippers in an effort to hide the cracks in his mask. “If she did, I never heard them.”

“What about your dad?” Ben pressed.

Chad swallowed, forced himself to breathe. “He doesn’t talk about it.”

The most Chad had been able to piece together was from the workers at the castle and the guardsmen that had traversed the kingdom looking for the maiden to fit the slipper. And his own grandfather had such a strong grudge against a _pauper_ marrying into the family that there weren’t any pictures of her in the castle, no videos or information beyond the publicity packets readily available to the public.

“But there’s probably not much more to know anyway,” Chad forced himself to continue brightly, offering Jane a cheerful grin even when joy seemed so unfathomably far. “You know, Jane, I bet if anyone could pull those shoes off now, it would be you.”

“ _Me?_ ” Jane seemed to flush down to her toes. “I um- I don’t think that’s true.”

“We’ll have to respectfully disagree,” Chad drawled, feeling more settled under the glow of Jane’s bashfulness. “Right, Benjamin?”

“You know what?” Ben cut in with a complete non-sequitur. “ _I’m_ hungry. Let’s go get lunch. On me!” 

“That doesn’t answer my- _Ben_!” Chad groaned, but the lanky prince was already marching them towards the café, somehow managing to detangle Jane from Chad so he could properly drag them in the wake of his youthful enthusiasm, going on about the different museum specials he had read about in his email. He kept going on about _‘the grey stuff’_ and ice cream sandwiches until Chad was forced to surrender to his blathering. Obviously, Chad would have to try and woo Jane another day. Maybe when they went back to school, when Ben was safely locked in a council session and buried under a mountain of paperwork. 

They somehow managed to acquire a semi-decent lunch that ended with parfaits, where Ben spent the entire time pointedly engaging Jane in what seemed to be an interrogation for her plans for the upcoming semester. She grew more and more timid as they went on, though Chad tried to interject with his own smarm (how had _he_ become the good cop?) while discreetly kicking Ben under the table. It did nothing to deter the other prince.

By the time Chad asked if Jane wanted to join them for a stroll through the gardens, the young fairy politely declined after shooting Ben a worried look and disappearing into the crowd altogether. It wasn’t an unexpected response, but that didn’t mean Chad was _happy_ about it.

“You’re such a shit, Ben,” he muttered under his breath.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ben hummed before attempting to hook his arm through Chad’s once more.

Except Chad had seen him coming and deftly stepped out of the way, offering an innocent smile when Ben tried to pout at him. “Come on,” he said in his sweetest tone. “We still have half a museum to look at. _And_ the restricted section.”

“… _fine_ ,” Ben groaned, but he followed Chad like the dutiful friend he was.

And wasn’t that something, Ben following _Chad_ for once? 

It was too rare an occurrence for Chad not to savor, so he reveled in his shadow, knowing that when summer inevitably ended he would be on his own again. 

But hey, at least he’d have Jane, probably. 

That was more than enough for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which Ben gets both better and worse at judging boundaries. The poor baboon ;)
> 
> Hey guys, thanks for all the lovely support and feedback!! It is always greatly appreciated, especially for my first go at a non-poly Descendants fic :D
> 
> Don't have much by way of story notes this time around. I promise more of the friendship aspect of their relationship will be revealed next chapter, which will be about twice as long as this one ^_^
> 
> Until next time


	4. The Invitation

“Huh,” Ben said one lazy afternoon when they, for once, were not practicing lazy makeouts in his bedroom. They had gotten back to Auradon Castle the day before, prompting Ben to be a responsible royal and actually catch up on his paperwork. “Seems like Aziz decided to have a party after all.”

“That is generally what one does for their birthday,” Chad drawled, trying not to linger on the thought of royal birthday parties or really any kind of birthday celebration since he hadn’t had one for as long as he could remember.

“Yeah, but he had some sort of big adventure trip planned to celebrate turning sixteen,” Ben muttered. “Except it looks like that fell through so- party.”

“Neat.” Chad didn’t pull his gaze up from the book he was reviewing, even though he’d stopped reading it the moment Ben had started the seemingly innocent conversation. “Have fun getting down with the other royals.”

Ben blinked up from his phone in an expression of honest confusion that was regretfully beginning to grow on Chad. “You’re not going?”

“I wasn’t invited.” Chad didn’t need to check his phone to know that much, he was never invited to those sorts of things. Networking was fine, but networking with the prospect of frivolous entertainment was a privilege Chad had lost years ago, probably when he’d put his foot down about dying his hair a more ‘respectable’ brown.

“Of course you were invited,” Ben pressed, because he didn’t understand that not everyone was likeable. Or him. “All the young royals are invited. That’s literally what it says on the invitation.”

Likely because Aziz was too lazy to personalize the damn things. Too lazy to even get his secretaries to do it. It would mean more signatures for him, in the end. “I didn’t get an invitation.”

“You didn’t even check your phone,” Ben pointed out, obnoxious as always, and with a sigh, Chad closed his book.

It didn’t take long to look through his phone that was definitely tapped by his grandfather, constantly monitored with all the unnecessary ‘distractions’ suitably pulled and censored from it. He went through his email, where the last item he’d received was his invitation to stay with Ben, and showed it to the other prince.

Ben stared at Chad’s phone, then turned to stare at his own, as though it could give him some answers. “That’s not right.”

“It’s fine, Ben.” Chad waved him off, hoping he could get back to his figures. The foundation for his magic legislature was beginning to slide into place nicely, and Chad needed to be proud of that instead of focusing on stupid parties he probably didn’t want to go to in the first place.

“No, it isn’t,” Ben pressed, poking at his phone with a muted gaze of retribution.

Chad ignored him, because it was always best to ignore the doofus when he got like this, at least until Ben started talking into his phone.

“Hey, Aziz?” Ben said, catching Chad’s attention with ruthless focus. “Yeah, it’s Ben. I just got the invitation to your party- yeah, I can make it.”

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad hissed, abandoning his books so he could scrabble for Ben’s phone, not that he could manage it because Ben was tall and gangly and dumb enough to climb onto a desk to stay out of Chad’s reach. “Do _not_ bother Aziz about this shit-”

“It’s just that Chad’s staying for the summer – yeah, Chad Charming-” Chad was likely mistaken about the silent _preen_ that seemed to be in Ben’s tone for whatever reason, because the future king of Auradon was actually a child. “-anyway, his invitation didn’t come through and I was just double-checking- yes, I _know_ what the invitation said, but Chad’s polite.” Unlike _Ben_ , who did things like hold a hand against the top of Chad’s head to keep him at bay so he could continue to have stupid conversations. “So is he- wait, let me put you on speaker phone.” Ben hit a button, then held the phone above his head like the gigantic tool he was. “So is Chad invited?”

“ _Yes, of course he’s invited_ ,” Aziz said, and that was just the worst, because Chad had been hoping that Ben had just like, called Mrs. Potts and was pretending it was Aziz on the other line. “ _Sorry for the mix-up, guys, I’ll doublecheck my computer to make sure it doesn’t happen again_.”

“No worries, Aziz,” Ben chirped, staring down at Chad in a look of triumph. “It happens to the best of us.”

“ _So, you guys will be there?_ ” Aziz pressed. “ _I know it’s last minute-_ ”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Ben assured him, setting the final nail in Chad’s coffin of social obligations, and then having the gall to wave him on so _he_ could speak to Aziz as well.

Chad swallowed a sigh. “We’ll be there, Aziz,” he said, trying to sound bored but regal all at once. “Thanks for the invitation.”

“ _It’s my pleasure, gentlemen_ ,” Aziz cheered. “ _Now I gotta run – birthday preparations and all that_.”

“Of course,” Ben chirped. “Don’t let us hold you up. We’ll see you in a few days.”

“ _Awesome_.” And then the conversation was over, leaving Chad with an insufferably smug Ben and the looming swell of anxiety that Chad would have to attend his first non-formal public event and he only had a few days to prepare for it.

“See?” Ben said, tucking his phone back into his pocket and hopping off of his desk. “He totally wants you there. And now we’ll get to go to a party together! That should be fun.”

Chad sighed, knowing too well that explaining the _‘oh, your invitation must have gotten lost in the **mail** ’ _thing was sort of the story of Chad’s life when he was not, in fact, invited at all, and Ben had only pressured Aziz into including Chad. Still, it would be rude of Chad _not_ to go now, and he could do his best to be as unobtrusive as possible.

“A party I don’t have a present for,” Chad pointed out instead, and then he panicked, because he’d never had to get anyone a present, he didn’t have _friends_. “Oh shit, I don’t have a present. Ben, we have to go shopping.”

Or, _Chad_ needed to go shopping. Ben probably had eight hundred presents on standby and they were all perfect.

But Ben just laughed at him, because he clearly didn’t understand the severity of the situation. “Chad, it’s fine. I already got him a present. We can say it’s from both of us.”

And look cheap? 

“ _No_.” Chad scowled, abandoning Ben and all Ben-related things as he went to shove on his shoes, frantically searching his mind for things that royalty was supposed to give other royalty. All his frame of references were for older times, and he was pretty sure Aziz had neither want nor need for gold and jewels. And Chad also didn’t have access to his royal vault anyway. _Fuck_. “I’m not gonna force my way into his party and then _not_ get him a present. That’s uncouth.”

“You did not _force_ your way into his party, you were invited,” Ben pointed out, but he was also shoving his shoes back on, so he must have gotten the picture. “And this party’s a last-minute deal anyway, he’s not going to be mad if you don’t get him a present.”

“ _I’ll_ be mad.” With himself. Forever. Or at least until the next crises struck. “Now are you going to help or are you going to critique me?”

Ben let his head fall back with a sigh. “I’ll help.”

“Good,” Chad said, and then tried to struggle his way through imagining the perfect birthday present, because for him the perfect present would have been to _have_ a birthday.

But he would have to settle into the mindset of a normal royal teenager and go from there. It would have to do.

-:-:-:-:-:-

The problem with shopping was that it was horrible.

Shopping was not a thing Chad got to do, though he’d seen mention of it in tv shows and movies and books, which seemed appropriate since Auradon functioned on a capitalistic society. The point was, without any kind of experience, Chad was relying on Ben to see him through, and Ben seemed equally hopeless despite the fact he had things like freedom and access to a bank account that was not severely monitored by his grandfather.

Suffice it to say, Chad was mildly overwhelmed on top of his growing panic. He didn’t really know what Aziz liked aside from _adventures_ and _Tourney_ and the prince likely had all the Tourney gear he would ever need, and it wasn’t like Chad knew any professional Tourney players who could autograph something for him. This left Chad looking through candy shops and book stores and strange novelty shops in the hope of finding _something_ interesting, and coming up with nothing because he was a socially-stunted failure. 

“What about that one book?” Ben was saying. “You seemed to like it.”

The rare book on some fictional adventure? Yes, sure, _Chad_ had liked it, because it seemed harmless and fun. “Aziz doesn’t like books, Ben.” At least, as far as Chad could tell.

“Yeah, but he’d like it if it was from _you_. Having you share something you like with him-”

“No.” Chad shook his head, repeating the word that had become his new mantra. “No, I can do better.”

He didn’t know how, but he _could_.

They were in a recreational outdoors shop when Chad _finally_ found something that might interest Aziz, something rare but useful that could pertain to his interests, locked behind a clear-cased display.

“That,” Chad said, knowing they had at last hit pay dirt. A grapple gun seemed like a useful tool for a fledgling adventurer, and it was functional enough that it didn’t pain Chad’s sensibilities.

“Hey, nice choice,” Ben said, weary but cheerful, and likely glad that Chad had managed to _find_ something before their feet fell off. “I’ll just go get a sales associate to get it out of the case.”

“Thanks, Ben,” Chad said distractedly, staring at the gun’s features. Weatherproof, heat resistant, metal fiber cording that was durable up to who knew how many tons. It was perfect. Aziz should like it, Chad hoped, now the only thing left to check was the price.

Which, in hindsight, Chad should have done first.

The price tag made Chad’s stomach drop to his feet, because he knew even with the entirety of the emergency funds he had stashed away in various places on his person, he didn’t have enough to cover even a _fourth_ of the grapple gun’s cost. Unlike most princes, Chad didn’t have access to any recreational funds with his card, and if his grandfather saw that he’d purchased _this_ , well, he wouldn’t think it was for another prince, and even if he did, he certainly wouldn’t let Chad go to the party. He’d probably make the blond come home altogether, cutting Chad’s vacation with Ben short and Chad didn’t- he _couldn’t_ do that, didn’t want that because as obnoxious as Ben could be he was also sort of nice, and Queen Belle and Mrs. Potts were kind and he had access to a constant food source and a comfortable bed-

“Hey,” Ben greeted with a small wave, a petite sales associate hovering behind him. “I found someone-”

“I um- I decided against it,” Chad declared, offering the short woman a polite nod. “Sorry. Thank you for your time, though.”

“What?” Ben blinked. “But you said-”

“We should go,” Chad said, and then in a true display of his panic, he grabbed Ben’s wrist, dragging him from the store while the taller prince spouted muted protests.

Chad didn’t stop until they were safely down the street, until the shame had burned from his cheeks even though he knew the sting of his inadequacies would last for a long time. If he was a _good_ prince, he’d get to have friends and money to buy them presents with. But he wasn’t a good prince, he was just Chad, and he had to make do with that.

“What’s wrong?” Ben looped in front of him, making Chad halt in his tracks. “I thought you liked the grapple gun.”

“I changed my mind,” Chad muttered sullenly. He was out of ideas and the shops were going to start closing soon and Chad _still_ didn’t have a present. “I sat back and thought what that said about me as a person-”

“So it wasn’t the price?” Ben pressed, because he was impossible. “Because if that’s the case-”

“No,” Chad urged, hating the way his pulse spiked and Ben’s gaze widened and just- him, in general. He squeezed his eyes shut, and tried to come back to himself. “No, that’s not it. I think you were right about the book. I’ll just get him that.”

“Chad.” Ben reached out and gripped his hands, which was a form of contact they didn’t normally do in public but he was so _stubborn_. “It’s okay if you don’t have the money, I’ll just get it-”

“ _No_.” Chad didn’t know why the prospect was so horrible, because Ben was a nice guy. He was just doing what nice guys did and buying their hopeless friends presents. It wasn’t like Chad hadn’t earned it in some way, with all the ‘practice’ they’d been putting in, but somehow that made it worse. Because the practice was to get Chad knowledge and this was just straight up prostitution because Chad was _poor_ , just like his mother had been. “No, I’ll just- it’s fine.”

“Chad-”

“It’s _fine_ , Ben.” Chad couldn’t allow himself to be swayed, couldn’t budge an inch because if he did Ben might be hopelessly charming, might do that thing where he swooped in to rectify the situation with his stupid, money-challenged friend, and Chad couldn’t do that. Chad couldn’t show him the wallet packed with small bills that he’d collected over the last ten years, the small _allowances_ he’d been given after helping scrub the castle from top to bottom, because his grandfather was absolutely _smug_ with the idea of history repeating itself. Chad couldn’t allow that vulnerability because Ben would take it, would bulldoze through it and do something terrible like _hug him_ , and Chad didn’t have the strength for that, not when he’d gone without for so long.

For a long moment, Ben just stood there. And then, at last, he seemed to come to a decision. “Do you trust me?”

“No,” Chad snorted on reflex, which in hindsight wasn’t a great thing to say to the person who was going to be his king someday.

“Chad.” Ben seemed to see through his bullshit, allowing his hands to drift to Chad’s shoulders. “Do you _trust_ me?”

Chad sighed, couldn’t not, couldn’t fake it when faced with this human he was slowly becoming attached to. “…yes.”

“Then here’s what we’re going to do,” Ben said, looking entirely resolute. “We are going to stop shopping for today.” When Chad opened his mouth to protest, Ben stubbornly continued talking. “We are going to stop shopping and then we’re going to a café and getting hot chocolate and croissants and _ruining_ our dinner and then we’re going home to take a bath, okay? That’s what we’re doing. Those are the things we are going to do. And _tomorrow_ , I am going to take you someplace where I know we can get Aziz the perfect present.”

“But Ben-”

“I _know_ this,” Ben repeated, keeping Chad’s gaze carefully as he squeezed the blond’s shoulders. “I know this without a doubt. Tomorrow morning, first thing, we will go and get Aziz a perfect present, and you won’t have to worry about prices or quality or anything like that. Does that work with you?”

For lack of anything else to do, Chad sighed, feeling worn out but hopeful. “…you are impossible.”

“Yeah,” Ben sighed, giving Chad one last squeeze before he started pulling the blond back down the street. “ _I’m_ the impossible one.”

And since he clearly couldn’t be referring to Chad, the blond elected to ignore him, following after the whirlwind of energy that was one Benjamin Florian, man on a mission and totally impossible to deter. 

Chad clung to his annoyance even if deep down he was grateful, because Ben was- he did this for _Chad_ , likely because he was pathetic, but still, it was nice.

And Chad liked holding onto nice things.

-:-:-:-:-:-

True to his word, Ben herded Chad into his private car at first light, each of them munching on cinnamon muffins Mrs. Potts made for them and sharing a thermos of floral scented tea tinged with honey. Ben had advised Chad to dress comfortably, to ‘be prepared to work’, which didn’t make a whole lot of sense until they drove past a security patrol to what seemed to be a remote cottage scenically nestled at the top of a meadow, that would have given off the perfect definition of ‘quaint provincial’ were it not for the motley assortment of machinery and gadgets that seemed scattered around the cottage like abstract works of art. 

Ben didn’t seem too put off by these though, his smile growing when he urged Chad out of the car, looking on the collection with a sort of fondness. It only grew when the door to the cottage was thrown open and an older gentleman burst out the door, clad in a leather apron covered by a toolbelt holding an array of items Chad couldn’t even place, a pair of thick-glassed goggles balanced precariously on his forehead.

“Papa!” Ben greeted with an enthusiastic wave, grabbing Chad’s wrist so that he could drag him up the path towards the cottage. 

Ben’s grandfather – better known as ‘Papa’ – returned that wave with matching enthusiasm and then some, the older gentleman surprisingly spry for his age as he raced to meet Ben halfway.

“Ben, my boy!” They collided together in a tangle of overwhelming affection, Ben looking somewhat comical with his towering height wrapped around his grandfather that was of a much shorter stature.

“Ben,” his grandfather repeated, sounding nothing less than loving. “It’s so good to see you. When I got your call yesterday, I was ecstatic at the prospect of working with one of your friends. Speaking of-” The older man turned his too-genuine smile onto Chad, who felt like he would melt from it. “You must be Chad!” He grabbed the blond’s hand and started pumping it, then seemed to forget about it entirely and bypassed letting go. “It’s a pleasure to meet you! Ben says you’re quite clever, which is high praise from him.”

“I’m not nearly that smart,” Chad found himself insisting, a bright flush dusting his cheeks under the weight of Ben’s knowing smirk. 

“Nonsense!” the man cheered. “My daughter says you put Ben to shame in terms of your veracious appetite for reading. Which I personally think is a wonderful quality in a person, but come!” He turned to go inside, more or less dragging Chad behind him as he had yet to let go. Chad was beginning to see where Ben got it from. “You’re here for a different reason, yes? Ben said you needed to build a grappling gun. Now, I haven’t done one of those in a while so I’ll need your help double checking the schematics – but between the two of us we should be able to whip one up by the end of the day.”

“…really?” When Ben had said they were going to ‘take care’ of Aziz’s present, Chad hadn’t thought the other prince had meant a visit to his grandfather the inventor. Still, it was sort of perfect. Chad could put the work in to build the thing from scratch, which probably made the gift even more meaningful? It seemed like a good shot.

“Certainly!” Ben’s grandfather chirped. He seemed to speak in mostly exclamations, though Chad couldn’t fault him for it. As far as personality flaws went, that one seemed closer to a bonus. “Now come, we have much work to do.” 

That was how they spent their day. Chad took the first few hours to rework calculations and optimize Mr. Maurice’s design to operate at its greatest efficiency. Then they started working on shaping the metal, collecting the necessary internal gears and crafting extra-durable cable. Because this was Chad’s endeavor, he tried to do a majority of the work, though Ben’s grandfather was there the entirety of the project, giving the prince advice and telling him how best to put it together, helping him install the delicate internal mechanisms until at last they had a working hookshot. It was certainly less pretty than the one in the store, but it had been made by Chad’s hands, which might not help his dumb blond persona but it _did_ make him feel useful, made him feel effective despite his own grandfather’s numerous and nitpicking complaints. 

There, in that cottage, Chad wondered if this was what it was like to have a grandparent that loved you, and decided there and then that he would savor this moment Ben had unwittingly given to him. Chad didn’t deserve it, but he would be grateful for it nonetheless, would thank Ben by squeezing his hand when mere words didn’t seem to be enough.

A sort of melancholy fell over Chad when Ben’s grandfather waved them off, cheering for them to give Ben’s parents his best, urging Chad to keep in touch with him to discuss ‘future inventive endeavors’ and overall giving him more attention than he’d ever be due.

And through it all, Ben looked on with a brilliant smile, somehow refraining from bragging about this one rare instance where he had a great idea.

Chad supposed that everyone had to get _one_ eventually.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Because Agrabah was by no means close, they spent the day before the party traveling – first leaving in a fancy yacht from Belle’s Harbor before landing in Deep Jungle and driving to Agrabah from there. By the time they got to Agrabah, it was either very late the day of travel or very early the day of the party, and Ben and Chad were happy to pass out in their room of the hotel suite Cogsworth had arranged for them. As crown prince, Ben had been offered a royal suite in the Agrabah palace, but as everyone there was likely rushing with last-minute party preparations, Ben opted to stay ‘out of the line of fire’, as it were.

Despite having done their best to sleep on the ship (which had been a damn crime, Chad had never been on a boat before and he had to spend the entire trip _inside_ it), all the movement and disruption had Ben and Chad collapsing on one of the beds in their room and napping until around 11 am.

Ben ordered them room service because he could do that, and then sat back and watched the show that was Chad freaking out over what to wear to the party, despite the fact that he’d had this exact same meltdown when they’d been packing.

He was in the middle of comparing two button-up shirts in the full-length mirror of their walk-in closet, one royal blue and one a lighter blue/silver color. And just- Chad hated himself. He was stupid. So stupid. Why had he based his outfit off of what Ben was wearing? What the hell did _Ben_ know? He could walk around in a potato sack and no one would give him shit for it because he was _Ben_. 

“Just pick the one on the right,” Ben groaned from his unhelpful spot splayed across the couch. 

“You’re only saying that because it’s Auradon Blue,” Chad muttered, frowning at the garment. Why did he even bring this?

“Then pick the other one,” Ben sighed. “It brings out your eyes.”

“Which-”

“Let me guess?” Ben huffed. “It brings them out _too_ much.”

“…yes, actually.” It drew too much attention, even though it looked good on him. He didn’t want to pull _too_ much focus though. Should he look at some magazines? Why was he cursed with a wardrobe specifically tailored by his grandfather? 

“Alright,” Ben said, rolling to his feet in one smooth movement. “Enough of this. You know what Agrabah has? A rich cultural heritage based in magic.” He moved forward, deftly relieving Chad of his two shirts before hanging them back inside the closet. “And they keep it all in one fancy museum. So let’s go there, I got us tickets.”

“You-” Chad blinked. “But we haven’t-”

Ben sighed. “We don’t have to practice for me to want to do nice things for you, Chad.”

Which Chad supposed on one hand was fair, but on the other that meant Ben had sacrificed an afternoon for a ‘boring’ activity for Chad’s benefit just because, and while on one hand that was lovely, on the other, it made Chad concerned because he didn’t have much to offer in return for it. And that was disregarding the grapple gun Ben had already arranged for Chad to build.

Still, the deed was done so Chad tried to focus on acquiring more knowledge, taking notes while Ben followed him, making delightful commentary all the while. He made sure to drag them into the café so Chad could sample some Agrabah cuisine before buying far too many souvenirs from the gift shop (any souvenirs was too many) and proudly presenting them to Chad, who pretended to be annoyed but secretly loved each of them. 

They ended up back at the hotel maybe two hours before the party, whereupon Ben immediately dragged him into a cozy bubble bath with the lights dimmed, _insisting_ that they take turns feeding each other strawberries because he was a gigantic brat before they showered using only Ben’s toiletries because he had _purposefully_ taken Chad’s out of his bag. Which meant he was going to go through the evening smelling like _Ben_. 

Ugh. Chad hoped Audrey didn’t get too close to him. That would be the last thing he needed.

Chad had finally settled on the outfit he’d originally picked (he was too exhausted to do anything else), when Ben decided to make a nuisance of himself once more, bouncing over to Chad with a jacket clutched in his hands.

“You know what would make your outfit look better?”

“No,” Chad said without looking at him, fixing his curls in the mirror. They were hopeless, but he tried. “It is summer. In _Agrabah_.”

“But it’ll be cold in the palace!” Ben chirped. “To counteract that. So.” He held up his jacket. It was one of his very blue preppy ones with a lot of yellow trim. It was sized for Ben, which would make it too long in the arms and torso on Chad and, ultimately, look quite stupid on him.

“No,” Chad repeated.

“ _Please_?” Ben pressed. “ _Pretty_ please?”

“Why?” Chad groaned, readjusting his collar before double checking his belt because apparently that was a thing he had anxiety about.

“Because it will make me feel better knowing that you’re okay,” Ben said, as though his jacket was the only thing coming between Chad and a peaceful evening.

And, if Ben’s whining was anything to go by, it probably was.

“ _Fine_ ,” Chad sighed, reluctantly accepting the jacket and sliding into it. Ugh. He was right, he did look horrible in it. “You’re the worst.”

“And you’ll be warm,” Ben replied with a grin. “So I’m happy.”

“Whatever,” Chad mumbled, and consciously did not burrow in his stupid ugly jacket because that would be dumb.

Chad managed to keep his anxiety away on the drive over to the palace by thinking of all the ways his grandfather would skin him alive for coming across as a stuttering fool, and by the time they were being herded into an enclosed courtyard that was magically ventilated to mimic air conditioning, Chad had coaxed himself into a numb state of detachment. It seemed to worry Ben, if the odd looks he kept shooting Chad were any indication, but _he_ wasn’t the one attending his first birthday party ever so he did not get to judge. 

The courtyard was already filled with a selection of their classmates from school, plus a few of the younger generation, royals that were on the cusp of entering Auradon prep like Agot, the daughter of Princess Anna, or Fairuza, Aziz’s younger sister. There were a few other non-royal faces that Chad recognized – Doug, the son of Dopey, and Jane, of course, who huddled near him, looking onto the crowd with wide, worried eyes. Lonnie was hanging around Aziz and Ruby, Queen Rapunzel’s daughter, constantly watching her feet to keep from treading on the princess’ long braid.

By chance, Aziz caught their entrance (or more likely, he’d been waiting for Ben’s entrance, as he was arguably one of the most important people here) and rushed to greet them, pausing as he cut through the crowd to trade the occasional high five or accept a slap on the back. 

“Hey, you made it!” the Agrabah prince chirped, gaze flickering over Ben before it settled on Chad, likely sensing him as an interloper. “Glad you could come out, Chad. It’s an honor having _you_ attend my birthday.”

Right, Chad hadn’t been invited, but at least Aziz faked his enthusiasm better than Audrey could have, the other prince even going so far as to take Chad’s hand, pressing a mocking kiss to it, and then giving Chad a meaningful look as though he could have missed the _subtext_.

Still, he was not called ‘prince charming’ for nothing, so Chad pretended to read the situation at face value and gave his dimmest smile. “It’s my pleasure, your highness.”

“Is it?” Aziz grinned, still holding Chad’s hand. Was this a power move? Was Chad supposed to let go, or keep holding on? It was like all his basic etiquette classes had vanished completely from his mind. It didn’t help when Aziz’s gaze landed on Ben’s stupid jacket hanging off Chad’s frame. “Nice choice of accessories.”

Ben chose this moment to finally butt in. “I know, right?” he grinned, though it seemed a little tight around the edges. Maybe he was reading the hidden mockery in Aziz’s potential power move, except for whatever reason he wasn’t interfering.

Through sheer force of will, Chad did not blush. Instead he tossed his hair in his best approximation of Audrey before fluttering his lashes. “Ben was afraid I’d get cold.”

That made Aziz grin wider for some reason, his fingers squeezing Chad’s gently. “And we can’t have that, now can we?”

“Nope,” Ben agreed.

Chad had the feeling an entirely different conversation was going on that he was missing, but thankfully he was known as a stupid prince so it didn’t really matter if he missed whatever was being insinuated.

An idea seemed to light in Aziz’s eyes. “You know what will get you warmed up?”

“Um… wearing this jacket?” Chad chuckled. It might have been more of a giggle, but it was a fair giggle because Aziz was still holding his damn hand.

“Dancing!” Aziz continued as though he hadn’t heard Chad. “Come dance with me, Chad. It is my birthday, after all.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to wait?” Ben cut in, graciously buying time while Chad subtly scanned the dancefloor to survey the other couples. There were a few pairs of girls dancing together, but no couples that were solely male. Except there – the heir to Maldonia was dancing with Kennet of Arendelle, but that seemed more like a desperate bid to get some coordination into the poor blond. “So you can greet your other guests-”

“I’ll see them eventually,” Aziz decided, and then he was dragging Chad out onto the dancefloor, pulling him into a sort of two-step that was thankfully one of the few dances Chad knew. “You’re a natural,” Aziz drawled, gaze fixed steadily to Chad’s despite the fact that the only thing keeping his feet intact was Chad’s conscious effort to do so. “It’s a wonder we don’t see you at more of these things.”

Or any of them, but Chad got the hint. He wasn’t ever invited, likely for being too perceivably stupid. 

“You know how it is,” Chad laughed, managing to keep his pulse steady when Aziz’s arm dropped to his lower back, pulling Chad closer. “There’s always so much to do and so little time.”

“Well, I know I’ve said it before, but I _am_ grateful you could make it.” Aziz seemed genuine when he said it, and Chad didn’t know if it came from a sincere well of kindness or if he really _was_ that good a liar, though Chad’s hope was leaning towards the first option. It was nice to be wanted. “Outside of Tourney, we don’t get to hang out much at school.”

That was because Chad was always studying or researching or drafting new legislature, gaining any and all knowledge his grandfather expressly forbade when he was back home in Sardinia. Truthfully, Chad wouldn’t be on the Tourney team at all if his grandfather hadn’t forced him to be, wanting Sardinia to put in ‘a good showing’ for an action-based group sport. 

“It really is a shame, isn’t it?” Chad drawled, keeping his gaze nice and lazy. “I’ve missed you talking about all your grand adventures.”

Aziz seemed to perk up. “You’re interested in those?”

“Who wouldn’t be?” Chad asked, dangerously close to letting his real interest shine through. “High adventure, ancient artifacts? What’s not to like?”

“I could tell you about them sometime.” It was probably just Chad, but he seemed to be getting closer to Aziz, nearer than propriety would allow. “Maybe over dinner?”

“Only if you pay,” Chad chuckled, knowing that the comment would likely get a derisive snort and then they’d forget about the ordeal entirely.

Except for whatever reason, this made Aziz grin like a madman. “I wouldn’t _dream_ of anything less, Mr. Charming.” His thumb was rubbing small circles against Chad’s hand, his arm straying lower on Chad’s back to the point that it was a relief when they were interrupted by a cleared throat, the song dwindling to an end.

When they looked over, it was to be greeted by the hulking form of Herodotos, the son of Hercules and Megara, who had to be officially excused from all school sports due to his godlike strength.

“Excuse me,” he said with the usual timidity that was a complete antithesis to his form. “May I have this dance?”

Chad dutifully backed away from Aziz, looking to see what the birthday boy’s answer would be, only to find both of them looking at _him_.

Oh. “Me?” Chad blinked, going so far as to point at himself because he literally _never_ talked to Herodotos – otherwise known simply as Hero. Chad only knew of him through the grapevine that was Doug, who was in chess club and band with the Grecian prince. 

Hero gave a shaky nod. “Yes, please.”

And. Well. Chad wasn’t _rude_.

“Okay,” Chad said, trying not to give away too much of his confusion, though it was hard when Hero seemed legitimately _pleased_ by this turn of events.

Unlike Aziz, Hero couldn’t hold Chad close to him, had to be especially careful with his strength so as to avoid injuring Chad altogether. It was sort of sweet, and the moments where he looked up from their feet (also afraid of stepping on Chad’s toes) he’d offer Chad a bashful smile. It almost made Chad want to abandon his persona altogether, to thank Hero for taking care of him, but alas, it was not meant to be. 

As it was, he decided to savor it. He could have that much.

“Me next!” Unlike Hero, Chad’s next dance partner ducked in and stole him away from the Greek Adonis before Chad could so much as _blink_ , tugging him towards the far side of the dancefloor and spinning him in hectic circles. 

It took Chad a few moments to realize his new partner was James – the son of Tarzan and Jane of Deep Jungle – and all-around wild child. His sister, Tabitha, was only slightly better, and Chad spotted her across the dancefloor, dragging a concerned looking Hero across the floor.

“Hey, Chad!” James grinned, pulling Chad close enough to smash him against his chest and still sort of wildly spinning. “You’re here! Aziz said you were coming but no one believed him since you never come to these things.”

“Well,” Chad began, trying to catch his breath as he started to feed his usual line. “You know how it is-”

“Right, right.” James gave a few manic nods. “Your dad prefers to keep you locked up safe and sound in your tower.”

Chad felt a legitimate frown tug at his lips. “He does _not._ ”

“Figurative tower,” James brightly continued. “Your tower is Sardinia, though we’re all glad you could make it out this evening. _Really_. Like, maybe Audrey isn’t, but Audrey doesn’t seem happy about anything.” Between one moment and the next, James dipped Chad, forcing the blond to swiftly recover lest he flail like an undignified novice. “But the rest of us are quite happy!” He leaned forward, brushing their noses together in a weird sort of bunny kiss that Chad didn’t have time to protest before he was being pulled upright again. “Hey, have you ever been vine swinging in Deep Jungle?”

Considering the fact that Chad had never _seen_ Deep Jungle in-person until this trip, that question was very easy to answer. “I can safely say that I haven’t.”

“Want to fix that?” James pressed with a wag of his brows. “On your way back to Auradon – you and Ben could ride with me and Tabz. We could take you swinging, maybe even see some _cool plants_.”

Chad perked up at that, because there were a few selected blooms native to Deep Jungle that would be great in his collection, and he did have his tools. “I’d have to talk it over with Ben. You know how busy he gets.”

“Super busy,” James agreed with a grin. “Do you even get to see him, or do you just live in the Auradon library?”

“I spend a lot of time outdoors,” Chad lied with a sniff, because these people couldn’t spread rumors of him being a _bookworm_ , his grandfather would be pissed. “But he still gets time off in the summer, so I see him.”

“Oh yeah?” James perked up. “Bet you guys get a lot of time together _alone_.”

Chad did not like the implication of his tone, but in persona-Chad fashion, he ignored it. “Sure. I try to teach him my charming ways, but Ben’s sort of hopeless.”

“I’ll say,” James giggled. “I’m sure he _studies your ways_ real hard. He’s doing it now, even.” He jerked his head off to the side, and eventually Chad caught sight of tall, lanky Ben being dragged around by Princess Ruby, seeming to split his attention between the laughing princess and Chad, like he was afraid the blond couldn’t go five minutes without his chaperoning.

Chad bit back a frown. “You know how Ben is,” Chad huffed, dutifully turning his attention back to James. “He worries.”

“He should,” James hummed, and Chad had a split second of absolute panic shoot through his chest before the other prince amended. “About his dancing, I mean.”

The comment was so sudden that it startled out a laugh from Chad, which seemed to please James to no end, and quickly led to the jungle prince dragging Ben’s name through the figurative mud.

“He’s so gangly,” James continued. “It’s a wonder he doesn’t trip over himself. Could you imagine that at coronation? If he’s not careful he’d jolt out of the carriage and fall face-first on the ground.” Chad giggled hopelessly at the picture, because Ben could very easily do something just like that. “Of course it’s _Ben_ , so he’d just jump up with that big dumb smile and everyone would cheer for him anyway like he did it on purpose. I mean, he’d probably tell his kids and his kids’ kids that he _definitely_ did it on purpose, and then before you know it tripping out of your carriage is a new tradition all Auradon kings have to do and it’s Ben’s fault.”

“He _would_ ,” Chad laughed between gasps of breath, feeling tears of amusement prick at the corners of his eyes. “Ben would _totally_ do that.”

“I’m surprised your patience has held up this long,” James continued with a smile. “He’s probably been tripping all over you.”

“Oh, um-” Chad sighed, wiping a few stray tears from his eyes. “He’s so… cheerful about it that it’s hard to mind.”

“And if I did it?” James challenged, raising both of his brows in a suggestive look that Chad unfortunately did not understand.

“Did what?”

“Tripped all over you,” James continued. “How’d you feel about that?”

“…I’d prefer for you to avoid it in the first place,” Chad allowed, somewhat confused by the turn in conversation.

“Okay,” James grinned. “Maybe it’s not _tripping_ I’d be doing.”

“Then what are you even asking?” Chad pressed, feeling with his dumb persona that it was safe enough to ask.

“Why don’t we take a walk and I’ll show you?” James offered. “There’s a nice path through the garden-”

“Alright,” a voice cut it, tinged with a thick DunBroch accent. “You’ve ‘ad your chance, James.” 

“Malvin,” James greeted the new prince – the male twin from Queen Merida’s brood – his mop of bright red curls unmistakable. “We were just getting to the good part.”

Malvin made a show of rolling his eyes. “Off wit’ you,” he tutted, motioning for James to leave before that sharp emerald gaze settled on Chad. “I’d like to take this next dance, if you don’t mind.”

“…can you be a little less enthusiastic?” Chad asked, his shoulders already beginning to feel a little sore from James’ eager drag around the dancefloor, ignoring the way the prince of the jungle began to pout.

Malvin’s lips parted in a grin that was more like a show of teeth. “I can be whatever you need, darlin’.”

“Alright,” Chad allowed, taking Malvin’s proffered hand and giving James a polite nod of thanks. It should likely concern him that he’d only danced with guys so far, but there was plenty of evening left. Once Chad caught his breath, he could start asking princesses, and if this by chance somehow got back to his grandfather, Chad could always press that he was trying to be polite. 

Malvin let out a hum that was close to victorious, gently tugging Chad to a less-occupied area of the dancefloor. It was about then that Chad registered a distinct change of pace, the music winding down to that of a modern-day slow dance. While Chad had never participated in said type of dance, he knew that they were conceptually easy, mostly consisting of gentle sways, and also meant to be _romantic_. 

Chad tried to bring this up in the smoothest way possible. “Do you- um, want to wait?”

“What?” Malvin blinked at him, not seeming to get the issue.

If Chad flushed, it was due to all the dancing, and for no other reason. “Or, you know, you could ask a princess and I’ll just sit this one out-”

“It’s fine,” Malvin dismissed like it was easy, seeming entirely unconcerned. “It’s only weird if we make it weird, right?”

Chad, who had literally zero experience in these types of social situations, was forced to follow Mavlin’s lead. “Sure. I was, you know, just double checking.”

This got him a pleased grin. “Kind of you,” Malvin drawled, and then he was pulling Chad against his chest. 

So. It was only weird if Chad made it weird but it felt distinctly _odd_ to rest his head against another guy’s shoulders, someone who wasn’t Ben who, for whatever reason, wanted this. Maybe this was platonic friend dancing? That sounded like a thing that happened. Still, Malvin kept them close, had his head tilted against Chad’s curls and an arm wrapped around his waist while Chad clung to his shoulder and pretended this was his due because that was the way of public-Chad. 

“You look lovely tonight,” Malvin hummed, as though this were a normal observation and, considering the fact that a lot of magazines referred to Chad as ‘lovely’ as well as ‘handsome’, he decided to go with the flow of it.

“Thank you,” Chad said, allowing a small preen to go into his voice. 

Malvin chuckled, pinching at the fabric of Ben’s coat. “This is a bit clashing though, isn’t it?”

Chad didn’t even try to stop making a face. “It was Ben’s idea.”

That got a laugh. “Yeah, that seems like a thing he’d do.”

“I know, right?” Chad huffed, glad that someone was finally on his side for this. “He can be so weird sometimes.”

“Especially when it comes to you.”

Chad didn’t tense because he was better than that. “…what’s that supposed to mean?”

“Means exactly what it sounds like,” Malvin said, like that explained _anything_. “Hey, if I invited you to DunBroch, do you think your dad would let you come?” 

It was Chad’s _grandfather_ that was the real issue, but he liked the illusion that his father still had any kind of involvement in his life. “I doubt it,” he sighed. “I’m only in Auradon because he couldn’t turn down an invitation from Ben without making Sardinia look bad.”

“Figures,” the redhead muttered. “Well, I suppose that means we should make this time count.”

Chad was about to ask for clarification – well deserved and mildly confused clarification – when he found himself being dragged off the dancefloor, past the throngs of teenagers and into a shadowy corner of the inner garden. 

“ _Malvin_ ,” Chad hissed, at a complete loss as to what was going on. “What are you-?”

And then lips were pressing against his.

Unfortunately, despite Chad’s many ‘training’ session with Ben, Chad still had a desperate fight or flight response that kicked in with a vengeance, especially considering the fact that they were in public, this was _not_ Ben, and Chad had been taken by complete surprise.

Which was what led to him immediately jerking away and flailing an uncoordinated fist out in the direction of the person who’d violated his personal space, who just so happened to be Malvin.

Chad didn’t realize what all had happened until he saw Malvin hunched over, pressing a hand to his nose with _blood dripping down his face_.

Oh fuck. _Fuck_. Chad had just punched the prince of DunBroch. He was going to get _murdered_.

Except Malvin was laughing. “ _Ouch_ , okay-” he huffed, pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket and shoving it against his nose. “I deserved that.”

“I’m so sorry.” Chad didn’t even care if public-Chad was supposed to be a ditz, even an idiot would know this was a bad thing, because only an idiot would _do_ this. “I can- do you need ice? Or- a guardsman? I can turn myself in-”

“Don’t bother.” Malvin waved him off with a chuckle. “Like I said, I definitely deserved it, and telling a guardsman will only get it back to my mother, who would _definitely_ kill me.” Right, because Chad was a guy who apparently gave off ‘ _kiss me_ ’ vibes. Maybe he was giving them off subconsciously? Chad didn’t know. “ _Aw_ , shit,” Malvin breathed. “You punch so fucking good. _Wow_.”

“Do you… need help to the bathroom?” Chad honestly didn’t know what to do, but he supposed this was the best potential outcome for this situation.

“No, I got it,” Malvin assured him, and somehow, despite being covered in blood, he managed to give Chad a confident wink. “I’ll get this taken care of and see _you_ later.”

“O…kay?” Chad said, but Malvin was already walking away with another wink, whistling a muffled tune into his bloody handkerchief.

…maybe it was a DunBroch thing. Chad made a note to do more research on their culture. Maybe they’d had a _cultural_ miscommunication. 

He was in the process of pondering this when Audrey found him. She approached Chad with a smile that was closer to baring her teeth, easily cornering him into the private nook so he could experience the full force of her glower.

“ _Chad_ ,” she hissed, glaring at Ben’s jacket as though she could remove it from Chad’s form through power of will alone. “Why are you wearing that?”

Chad decided to be honest, because nothing else worked with Audrey - trying to put the ordeal with the DunBroch prince behind him. “Because Ben’s stupid.”

“That doesn’t mean you should _encourage_ him,” Audrey snapped, as though any of this was _Chad’s_ fault. She knew how Ben could be. Impossible. The guy was impossible.

 _But_.

Chad was struck by a sudden hint of inspiration. “Hey, are you cold?”

“We are in _Agrabah_ ,” Audrey growled. “Of course I’m not cold.”

“Are you sure?” Chad pressed. “Because if you were cold, I could give you my jacket. And then _you_ would be wearing Ben’s jacket instead of me.” As she should be. “So, are you cold?”

It took a moment for Audrey’s anger to settle into something more refined, but when it did she pulled her shoulders back, head angled at the haughtiest tilt as she expectantly held out her hand. “As it so happens, I _am_ cold.”

“Great.” Chad shrugged out of the jacket in gradual movements, as though that had not been his desire since he’d put the damn thing on. “Then it is my princely duty to help you. Here.” He passed the garment over and she eagerly shoved into it, oversized on her as well but at least on Audrey it was cute instead of stupid. “Hold onto it as long as you’d like.” It would serve Ben right for making Chad put the dumb thing on the first place, making Chad look like some fashion-less _child_.

“You fucking know I will,” Audrey sniffed, and then just as quickly as she’d come, she deftly turned on one heel, her curls flouncing after her in a neat wave as she strode back into the party, likely to show off her newly acquired accessory.

There, that was at least one problem taken care of. 

Now Chad had to figure out how to ask a few princesses to dance, though if his experience was anything to go by, he could just grab a few of them by the wrist and pull them into a dance and it shouldn’t be a problem. Except Chad actually had _manners_ , so he’d have to ask them and wait for their responses and- on second thought, maybe he’d just pretend to be Hero. That guy seemed to be decent. Chad should be like _him_.

“Hey.” Aziz slid into Chad’s hideout as though it was normal to linger in the shadows at one’s own birthday party, wearing a bright and easy grin. “Saw that you gave Audrey your coat.”

“She was cold,” Chad forced himself to say, instead of letting the dirge of _‘It’s Ben’s coat’_ spill out his mouth followed by ‘ _Were you watching her?_ ’ because both would cause more problems than they stopped. “So I helped her. Like a gentleman.”

“But now you might get cold,” Aziz chirped, when he of all people knew how very unnecessary jackets were during summer in _Agrabah_. “And since it’s my duty as host to see to my guests’ needs, I must insist that you take _my_ jacket.” He shrugged out of the garment as he said this – a white base with an abundance of gold trim specially tailored for Agrabah formal events, which further indicated that _Chad_ should not _wear it_.

“Oh, that’s not necessary.” Chad tried to carefully edge his way out of their side nook, but Aziz was blocking the exit with his eager grin and a formal jacket no one but _he_ should be wearing cradled between his hands. “I was actually feeling a bit warm-”

“There’s no need to be a martyr,” Aziz pressed, pushing the jacket into Chad’s hands until he was more or less forced to take it or let the expensive garment _fall to the ground_. “Besides, it’s my birthday. It would be a great gift to me to know you were taken care of.”

This seemed like a really weird thing for Aziz to get stuck on, but at this point it was easier to take the over-fancy jacket than it would be to fight him on it. Maybe Aziz secretly hated this coat and saw an opportunity to get rid of it, and he knew Chad was too polite and socially awkward to turn him down like a normal human. Or Audrey. Audrey would have left by now. Why couldn’t Chad be like her?

 _Instead_ , he had to be a painful doof who mustered weak grins while he slid into yet another prince’s coat, though at least this one fit him sort of better, and white looked good on just about everyone, Chad was pretty sure.

“In that case, thank you,” Chad said, hoping his smile didn’t look as forced as it felt as he finished settling the coat on his shoulders. “And happy birthday.”

“It is now,” Aziz chirped, and then he offered out his arm for Chad to take because Ben had to go and start a _trend_ , and with the same reluctance as before, Chad took it, politely following Aziz out towards the central party area.

Aziz ended up taking him on another spin around the floor, this one rife with enough accidental brushes against his sides, his legs, and his shoulders to make him entirely on edge by the time the song was done. Aziz looked like he was going to ask for a second dance but was politely interrupted by Arwel, the son of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere of Camelot, who spent the entirety of their dance either attempting to murmur along to the lyrics of the song or reciting awkward poetry. Chad wasn’t sure which one it was. 

Strange though it was, Chad actually found some comfort in Arwel’s quiet presence, which was good because he was immediately followed by Prince Edwin of Andalasia, who was all big smiles and a voice that couldn’t help but be outstandingly loud, rife with an excitement he had no hope to contain. Much like James, Edwin was happy to drag Chad around the dancefloor, though his movements seemed a lot smoother, and he kept singing a tune that did not go with the music playing at _all_ , but Chad guessed that when it came to dancing, to each their own. 

He was beginning to suspect the other princes were all hazing him because he was the new guy. It seemed like a distinct possibility, that they were all taking turns so he wouldn’t get a chance to ask any princesses to dance. As it was, Chad practically had to jog off the dancefloor just to get some kind of reprieve, grabbing a cup of punch and hiding near a wall with his hands obviously full so no one could ask him to dance. Hopefully.

It didn’t stop people from approaching, though he welcomed the presence of the young princess Fairuza, who looked at Chad’s borrowed jacket with a scrunched nose.

“Why do you have that?” she asked, snacking on what seemed to be a white and gold cake pop. 

“…your brother was very insistent,” Chad sighed, trying not to eye the jacket’s intricacy of the embroidered details and formal beading and _all the gold_. “I didn’t want to be rude, but…” He eyed her carefully. “I think… if _you_ were cold, you know, I couldn’t say no to the birthday boy’s sister. That would just be rude.”

With every ounce of energy he had left, Chad hoped Fairuza would take pity on him and take the bait, would help him out so he could be less _shiny_ and not wear formal clothes he didn’t have any right putting on in the first place.

Fairuza made a face that very accurately summarized the situation. “…I suppose I can help you,” she decided. “My brother can be real dumb sometimes.”

“Tell me about it,” Chad muttered, but then gladly rid himself of his newest formal jacket before the young princess could change her mind. 

Mixed with her own formal clothing, Fairuza looked suitably adorable in Aziz’s coat, and Chad’s heart ached at the easy expression of familial love under the certain knowledge that he would never get anything like it. 

“Thank you,” he said when it was done, scanning the crowd around them out of habit. When he noticed a few princes perking up with interest, all of which were wearing _coats_ , Chad decided to make a tactful retreat. “And now I’m afraid I must be off.”

“Yeah,” Fairuza agreed sagely. “You probably should.”

That was what found Chad lurking around the outskirts of the party, deftly avoiding eye contact that actively searched for him until his gaze landed on Doug. _Doug_ , wonderful, practical Doug, who wore muted green blazers that would probably fit Chad and also not clash horribly with his outfit.

It was time to get proactive.

“Hey, Doug,” Chad greeted distractedly, keeping his gaze fixed on the party for any incoming princes. “Jane.”

Both his new conversational partners sort of jolted, as though not expecting him to actually engage with him.

Doug recovered first. “Um… hi, Chad.”

“I have a proposal for you,” Chad said, cutting straight to the point. “If I pay you twenty bucks, will you let me borrow your coat for the evening? I promise I’ll give it back unharmed.”

Doug just sort of blinked at him.

“…I am not joking,” Chad elaborated.

“You want to… borrow my coat?” Doug stared at Chad, then turned to look at said coat, which was a wonderfully simple blazer.

“Yes,” Chad confirmed, noting how Jane had yet to say anything, likely because she was so confused. “I would appreciate it very much.”

Doug seemed to be waiting for the other shoe to drop, and when it didn’t, he shared a look with Jane. “…I’ll loan it to you for free,” he decided, beginning to slip off the garment.

“You don’t have to,” Chad assured. He actually did have money with him. “I know it’s a dumb request.”

“No, it’s fine,” Doug waved him off, passing the blazer over. Underneath it, he was wearing suspenders and a bowtie. It was, objectively speaking, _adorable_. “What are roommates for, right?”

“Thanks, Doug.” Chad grinned, slipping into the jacket and _yes_ , it did fit, and it wasn’t flashy, and now Chad didn’t have to worry about this weird hazing ritual continuing anymore. “So… were you guys talking about nerd stuff?”

Jane jolted, but sort of gave a spastic nod. “Um… yes.”

“Carry on,” Chad said, settling in beside them. “I’ll listen, maybe get smarter by osmosis.”

But mostly he just wanted to hear about their opinions without having to eavesdrop on them from a distance, which could be so tricky sometimes.

“Um… okay,” Jane decided, and slowly but surely, Doug and Jane went back to discussing basic Dwarven runes. _Nice_. 

Chad got about fifteen minutes of beautifully insightful theorized applications of dwarven runes in a modern society when Princess Ruby approached their huddle with a bounce in her step, her shoes seeming to have vanished since the last time Chad had seen her. “Aziz is rounding us up to go into the lounge,” she informed them with a flutter of her fingers. “We’re going to play _spin the bottle_.”

That sounded… stupid. 

Hopefully, that was all it would be.

 _Hopefully_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! As always, thank you for all the feedback and enthusiasm!!! It's always a nice highlight of my day to read your comments, especially with times being as crazy as they are. Thank you!!!
> 
> Story notes:
> 
> So originally the birthday preparations, birthday itself, and post-birthday were all going to be one chapter, but um… it turned out to be super long, so I broke the birthday party up into two chapters. Part two will be seen later this week!
> 
> For the purposes of this story, I ended up inventing an array of young royals to round out the party. Fellow writers are free to use them if they want, I know how annoying it can be to invent new characters, lol. Just give me a shout out in the end notes ;D
> 
> For this specific story, Agot, Fairuza, Kennet, Herodotos, James, Tabitha, Malvin, Arwel, and Edwin were all entirely made up. Andalasia is from the Disney live action movie ‘Enchanted’. 
> 
> Until next time :)


	5. The Kissing Game

Because Chad had no idea what ‘Spin the Bottle’ entailed, he watched Doug and Jane’s responses, and was greeted with a mild shudder from Doug and a distinct look of fear in Jane’s eyes. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t as harmless as it sounded.

“We’ll pass,” Chad decided, because Jane and Doug would be too polite to do so and Chad was sort of a flighty enigma as it was. “Thanks for the update though.”

Ruby’s expression fell. “But you _have_ to come.” She wasn’t pouting – Ruby was too kind for that – but she did posses a certain dejection at the thought of Chad’s exclusion from this game. “You’ve never played before. It’s a rite of passage!”

“And how does it work?” Chad asked, more or less to keep Ruby in front of him like a hair-laden shield from everyone else’s attention.

Ruby brightened up again. “It’s simple! Someone spins a bottle and whoever it lands on, they kiss. Then the person who got kissed spins the bottle, and so on.”

“…that’s it?” The entire process seemed juvenile; a game obviously intended to cater to teenage hormones while also providing abundant opportunity to obtain blackmail photos. “That’s the whole game?” 

He could see why Doug and Jane didn’t like it, as they were both relatively shy individuals and this was a game that approached something that should be relatively intimate and special with a casual sort of disregard. 

“Yep,” Ruby chirped, bouncing on the balls of her feet. “So are you coming, or are you going to wait for Aziz to hunt you down?”

“I highly doubt that Aziz would waste his time-”

Before Chad finished the comment, Ben shoved his way into their huddle, looking flushed and sweaty. “Hey Chad,” he greeted, gaze melting into confusion when he noticed Chad’s change in wardrobe. “Is that Doug’s jacket?”

“Yes,” Chad said while his school roommate tensed up beside him. “Audrey was cold, so I gave her your jacket. And then _I_ was cold, so Doug gave me his. It was very kind of him.”

Ben pressed his lips together because he couldn’t actually disagree. “…yep,” he said eventually, and then, as though it were the most casual thing in the world, he snatched Chad’s wrist and dragged him out into the party. Princess Ruby let out a celebratory _‘whoop!’_ behind them.

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad hissed, tugging uselessly against Ben’s grip. “I don’t want to play some dumb kissing game.”

“You don’t _have_ to kiss them on the lips,” Ben chirped, keeping his gaze forward. “Cheek kisses are perfectly allowed. And on the knuckles. It’s a bonding thing more than anything else.”

“It sounds dumb,” Chad muttered. “And like a good way to spread mono. Could you imagine that headline? _Half of royal class down for count due to dumb kissing game_.”

“It’s not dumb,” Ben insisted, because that was what he’d gotten from that exchange. “It’s _fun_. And a rite of passage!”

“Forming legislature is a rite of passage,” Chad urged while still trying to smile as vaguely as possible. “Kissing the hand of someone who gets no say in it-”

“You both have a choice, Chad,” Ben sighed, but when he looked down, his gaze seemed almost fond instead of exasperated. “Trust me, it will be good.”

“…and no one will take photos they could potentially use to blackmail us with in the future?” 

Ben just sort of blinked at him, then grinned. “I’ll get Aziz to have everyone turn theirs in to a bucket, or something.”

In the end, the phones got grudgingly turned into a large top hat brought by one of the heirs from Wonderland, which was then set in a spot of honor high on the fireplace mantel (and why there was a fireplace in _Agrabah_ , Chad did not know). 

Because Ben was obnoxious, he dragged Chad into a spot beside him when the gathered royals moved to form a large circle. Audrey, of course, took Ben’s other side, making a show of huddling into Ben’s jacket the moment she caught Chad’s attention drifting towards her, as though he was not the person to hand it over in the first place. In response, Chad may or may not have pointedly fingered the lapel of Doug’s coat (because he could be petty too) which earned him a confused look that was miles better than her previous expression of superiority.

After what seemed to be a brief scuffle, Aziz ended up on Chad’s other side, grinning despite Chad’s change in wardrobe and giving a suggestive wag of his brows. For someone who did not want Chad to be here, he spent an awful lot of time interacting with the blond.

“Alright, everyone settle down!” Aziz announced with a flourish, making the rest of the small talk peter off as young royals sat themselves on the floor. “We all know how this works – but here’s a repeat of the basic rules: no one has to do anything they don’t want to. Be respectful, have fun, and since we don’t have to worry about any pictures getting taken…” He gave Chad a pointed grin. “…cut loose! Enjoy the next hour of freedom, or however long we get before our chaperones come and end the fun.” That earned him a scattered round of laughter. “Now, since it is a certain _someone’s_ first time playing this, I figure he should get the first spin.” Aziz offered Chad a glass bottle with a delighted smile, motioning towards the middle of the circle. “Well?”

Chad did not sigh, because public-Chad was above such things. “I think I can manage that much,” he said, and for some reason that was worthy of a round of applause that didn’t die down until he was kneeling in the center of the circle. 

This was stupid, unquestionably stupid, but it was also a harmless _rite of passage_ , so if Chad could suck it up through this- _‘social experience_ ’ he could reward himself with another bubble bath later. If there was one drawback to staying with Ben, it was that Chad was becoming accustomed to showering or bathing multiple times a day, which was not useful in the long run, but in terms of instant gratification, sort of a pleasant pampering opportunity. It was nice that he could indulge in _hot water_ and not have to worry about the vulnerability of being naked for extended periods of time. 

He let thoughts of bath oil that smelled like evergreen and flickering candles that could lure you into a meditative state carry him through the act of setting down the bottle, taking one last steadying breath before he gave it a lazy spin, wondering which of these royals he would have to canoodle with. He hoped it wasn’t Ben. Ben would be an entire shit about it.

The bottle came to a stop entirely too soon, but Chad pretended to be unaffected by it, following the direction it pointed into and coming face-to-face with a blushing Doug, who had an equally skittish Jane hugging onto his arm. 

So it seemed like they had been dragged into this as well. 

Chad felt his shoulders slump in relief, though he tried not to look too outwardly excited that he’d gotten Doug, a reasonable person who he could definitely live with kissing a part of. Maybe this would even make them better roommates. Maybe this could be a small function of reality where Ben was actually right. 

“Hey,” Chad greeted with a lazy wave of his fingers when he crouched down in front of Doug, conscious of the accumulated gazes fixed on them. “How do you want to do this?”

“Um.” Doug’s gaze skittered around frantically, falling to his coat on Chad’s frame and then to the people around them, making it seem like he wanted to be even less involved with this process than Chad.

“Hand?” Chad offered. “Cheek? Lips?”

Jane gasped at the last offer, the people immediately nearby perking up with interest, though _why_ , Chad did not know. This was supposed to be a kissing game, wasn’t it? That’s generally where you kissed.

“ _Um_ ,” Doug repeated, even more flustered than before. “You can- if you don’t mind-”

“I wouldn’t have offered if I minded,” Chad pointed out – both practical and bored, because public Chad was _above it all_.

Doug shared a look with Jane. “Right. Um. The last one-” That got a gasp from Ruby, who was on Doug’s other side. “-is okay.”

“Great.” Chad said, and then without further ado he cupped Doug’s cheek, leaning forward to gently press his lips against the dwarf kin’s. 

Kissing Doug was different from kissing Ben, in that they’d never done it before and also Doug was obviously inexperienced, following Chad’s movements while the teen royals let out delighted cheers around them. Chad tried to make the action worth Doug’s while, finally putting his practice sessions with Ben to good use, and by the time he pulled back the other teen’s face was colored a brilliant shade of crimson, and he seemed to be panting for breath.

“Okay.” Chad gave his shoulder a few comforting pats. “Your turn.”

With dumb blinks, Doug crawled out of his spot, Chad gladly taking the vacated position and watching the embarrassed Doug make his way to the bottle. Beside him, Jane still had her hand pressed to her lips, looking at Chad with a wide-eyed interest that was entirely unwarranted.

“ _What?_ ” he whispered when Ruby’s snickering got to be too much, Doug’s bottle spin landing on Lonnie, who was happy to flutter her eyelashes while Doug pressed a shy kiss to her knuckles.

“Nothing,” Ruby laughed into her palm. “It’s just- you went all out.”

“It’s a _kissing_ game,” Chad pressed. “I thought that was the whole point.”

“Yeah, but people rarely- you _know_ ,” Ruby giggled again. “I think you started a trend.”

Chad was going to kill Ben, he really was. He made it sound like their peers regularly swapped spit like it was _nothing_ , when apparently this was just some half-assed flirtation ritual where everyone kissed each other on the cheeks. That _fuck_.

“Whatever,” Chad muttered, deciding he was thoroughly done with this business. With so many people in the circle, it was unlikely that the bottle would land on him, so he turned to Jane. “You and Doug had mentioned something about instantaneous rune transport?”

“What?” Jane blinked at him, pulling her hands away from her mouth to offer him a genuine look of confusion. “Oh. Um, yes, it’s just that…” She stopped herself before she could really get going. “…it’s probably boring.”

“Then bore me,” Chad ordered with a wave of his hand. “I can’t get smarter by association if you don’t talk.”

“O…kay,” Jane stuttered, and then they spent the next ten lovely minutes quietly whispering to each other while their peers took turns spinning a bottle and giggling at the sight of whoever it landed on.

“…so it’s teleportation, but it would be entirely powered by the stone itself,” Jane was explaining, her hands moving in small, fluttery movements. “The only real problem is access, because clearly you don’t want to plant a gateway that can be opened at _any time_ in the middle of your kingdom’s capital…” She drifted off when she realized the people around them were staring with wide, amused grins.

Chad sighed, then turned his attention to the middle of the circle to see Audrey crouched with a scowl on her face, looking in their direction. When he allowed his gaze to drift lower, his stomach sank, finding the stupid bottle aimed directly at _him_.

Which- no way. Not even for the sake of being polite. _Nope_.

Tabitha – who had replaced Ruby a few minutes ago – started laughing helplessly into her hand. “If looks could _kill_.”

They’d all be dead, but Chad had other priorities at the moment. He looked at the bottle, looked at Audrey, then looked at Jane, feeling the anticipation building in the room, and made a decision.

He gestured to the bottle. “Oh look, it’s pointing at Ben.”

Ben, who was still in his original spot, having _somehow_ escaped this stupidity, seemed to startle out of a stupor. “What?”

Audrey followed half a second behind him, but then her frown shifted into a pleased grin. “You know what, it _is_ pointing at Ben.”

“It could not point more at Ben if it tried,” Chad agreed sagely, turning to Jane. On his other side, Tabitha was still giggling helplessly. “Right, Jane?”

“Um…” Jane looked at the bottle that was still very much pointing at Chad and made a superbly fairy god sister decision. “…yes?”

“Great,” Audrey chirped, then crawled her way to Ben’s side. “Pucker up, Benny-boo.”

Ben, the dumb lout that he was, _still_ hadn’t caught on. “But it’s pointing at- _umf._ ” And then he had to cut off when Audrey very enthusiastically smushed her face against his. It didn’t look all that good, but Chad gave her points for enthusiasm, and tried to ignore the weird twist in his stomach. It reminded him that he hadn’t eaten anything since arriving at the party. He should change that after this game. 

The crowd cheered, no one seeming annoyed that they had broken one of the basic tenants of the game. When Audrey pulled back, it was with an expression of victory, Ben giving a reflexive smile that was smeared with lip gloss before he made his way to the bottle, waving off the occasional catcall. 

“Alright!” Aziz spoke up while Ben attempted to discreetly wipe the lip gloss off his face. “Ben finally got picked, you know what that means!”

Chad leaned over towards Jane. “ _What_ does that mean?”

It was Tabitha that answered him, shamelessly leaning into their group huddle. “Means a couple of someones are going to play _‘seven minutes in heaven’_ while the rest of us keep spinning the bottle. We wait until it’s Ben’s turn because there’s no _way_ he could play it. Usually we just let him spin twice and those two people go.”

“Go _where_?” Chad pressed. They were going to play a different game? Was it as stupid as this one?

“Into the closet,” Tabitha replied, like this was a very obvious thing. “And then they – you know, spend _seven minutes in heaven_.”

“I fail to see what is heavenly about a closet,” Chad muttered.

Tabitha was laughing at him. “It’s so you can kiss in private.”

Of course it was. 

“Kiss like _actual_ kissing or kiss like this game?” Chad asked, because one seemed marginally less dumb than the other.

Tabitha’s only response was to chortle into her hands.

“I have a suggestion!” Marsaili – Malvin’s twin sister and practical teenage recreation of Queen Merida – spoke up. “Instead of letting Ben spin to pick, how about Chad and Audrey take the turn they skipped?”

“We didn’t _skip_ ,” Chad pointed out with a haughty tilt of his head, because it was either that or panic. “The bottle was clearly pointing at Ben.”

“Clearly,” Audrey agreed, glaring at Chad as though this was _his_ fault. 

“No, I like it!” Aziz cheered. “As host, I declare it shall be done.”

“Goody,” Audrey drawled, shifting sulkily to her feet.

Well, Chad supposed they didn’t actually _have_ to do anything in the closet. It wasn’t like anyone could see them.

So Chad moved to follow her, ignoring Ben’s incredulous looks because he could have spoken up _at any time_. Apparently, Audrey was already familiar with Aziz’s palace because it took her no effort to find the closet in-question, motioning Chad inside with a roll of her yes. Chad followed, offering the crowd a charming smile before entering what seemed to be a decently sized entertainment closet. One side was lined with shelves full of board games and movies, and Chad spared a thought to wonder if anyone could actually play that many games. Who would even have the time, or the necessary number of friends? 

Audrey shut the door to the sound of cheers and immediately marched to the far side of the closet, which still wasn’t that great a distance but it was enough for Chad, who stayed safely on his side. 

“Of course you would find a way to ruin this,” Audrey muttered, crossing her arms in a move that couldn’t be more petulant if it _tried_. “Now I’m stuck in this closet while who _knows_ how many people kiss Ben.” She let out a small huff, blowing a stray curl out of her face. “My only consolation is that you’re stuck in here too, so you can’t slobber all over him.”

“I have not, nor ever shall, _slobber_ over Ben,” Chad pressed, keeping his hands resting carefully against his sides because he was a gentleman and not a _child_. “And what are you getting mad at me for? I’ve been nothing but helpful. I got you Ben’s coat-”

“So he’d stare after _you_ all night!” Audrey hissed, spitting the words out like an angry cat. “Get him worked up every time you switched out for someone else’s coat.”

“I didn’t ask for Aziz’s coat,” Chad pointed out, because that was what had really gotten the ball rolling in the first place. “And you’re reading too much into this.”

“Am I?” Audrey gave him a scathing glare, as though she could somehow stare into his soul. “You made that whole big show so that I would kiss him _-_ ”

“Because you have zero desire to kiss _me_.” Audrey would know this; she was the person who hated _Chad_.

“Make a big show of how nice you are while playing hard to get-”

“I am- I’m not interested in _Ben_ , Audrey.” Chad was confused that she would ever think he was. “I know you guys are going to date someday. _Everyone_ knows that.”

“And then you say shit like that.” Audrey crossed the closet in a few angry strides so she could jab a finger into Chad’s chest. “And at first I bought it, but I see now that you were luring me into a false sense of security. Because I believe you and _then_ I end up hiking up and down the entirety of the Auradon castle grounds looking for you. Ben’s _always_ looking for _you_.”

“Have you thought that maybe you – I don’t know – _frighten_ him?” Chad offered. “You’re very intense. Just- pretend to take it down a few notches when you’re with him and maybe he’d stop avoiding you.” And then, for good measure, he added, “He only goes looking for me because I am safely in the friend-zone.” Or the person-who-mostly-tolerated-him zone.

“Are you?” Audrey challenged.

“Am I what?”

“In the friend zone?” She pressed a nail into his chest, shifting forward in deliberate movements until Chad’s back was forced against one of the walls of shelves. “Or are you in the _more_ -than-friends’ zone?”

“What are you saying?” Chad managed to keep his voice level through sheer power of will, his expression neutral when a true wave of panic was building in his stomach.

“I’m saying that you seem happy to throw your affection at whoever scrambles for it,” Audrey drawled, tracing her nail down towards his abdomen. “Just _desperate_ for attention, aren’t you? And Ben couldn’t help but be caught in your beguiling ways-”

“Are…” Chad blinked. “Are you suggesting that I’m-? I’m not flirting with Ben, Audrey.”

“Of _course_ you are,” Audrey snapped, letting her hand fall so she could curl it into a fist. “You’re flirting with all of them, desperate to see where your attention will stick. Desperate to stay _relevant_.”

“I sure as hell don’t need-”

“Desperate because that’s all you’re good for,” Audrey continued as though she hadn’t heard him. “Look at you, every inch your mother’s son. And what was she good at? What was the _one_ thing she did? Look pretty and win over a prince in _one_ evening.”

“Leave my mother out of this,” Chad murmured, body seeming to fill with a bitter coldness. “Audrey-”

“People glaze over that because she’s dead,” Audrey bypassed the warning with a roll of her eyes. “But I remember and I see history repeating itself, and you know what I think?”

“I don’t actually care what you think, Audrey,” Chad hissed. “I don’t care about the opinion of a spoiled, unreasonable-”

“You’re a whore just like your mother!” Audrey bit out, her rising anger making the words seem to ring through the confined space. 

Chad didn’t respond, mostly because he didn’t have the liberty to, not when he was focused on keeping his breaths even, trying to keep a stupid heat from building behind his eyes because what shits did he give about _Audrey’s_ opinion anyway – except that she was one of the most popular girls at Auradon Prep and if _she_ felt that way then everyone else likely thought the same thing…

When the thunder seemed to die from his ears, Chad realized that the pleasant background noise of the party had ground to a suspicious halt outside their closet, leaving Audrey’s statement awkwardly hanging in the air.

Chad didn’t know if it was a relief or not when the door to the closet cracked open, though that deliberation swiftly changed to the _‘or not’_ category when he saw it was Aziz’s father – Lord Consort Aladdin – peaking into the room.

“Your majesty,” Chad greeted with a bow, years of etiquette training kicking Chad’s body into gear on reflex. In his peripherals, he could see Audrey mimic him with a quick curtsey.

“Hey, you two,” Consort Aladdin greeted with an easy smile. “We were rounding up the other kids for cake and presents – heard things get a little heated in here.”

“Right.” Despite his best efforts, Chad felt a furious blush creep up his collar, stain his cheeks in a mark of shame. He wondered if Lord Aladdin felt the same way as Audrey, if he looked at Chad and only saw the son of a whore. “We um… were practicing a scene for drama class,” he lied. “Since we are responsible royals who um… definitely don’t make out in closets.”

“ _Right_ ,” Audrey bit out, selling the fib with a generous smile. “I got a little into it at the end there.”

“…okay,” Lord Aladdin didn’t look like he entirely believed them, but he was kind enough not to call them on the lie, merely herding them out of the closet and into the empty lounge. “Well, maybe you guys can focus on celebrating instead. Have some cake and baklava.”

“Sounds lovely,” Audrey purred, switching fully into suck-up mode as she moved alongside the Lord Consort in perfect, gliding steps. 

Chad followed after them at a more sedate pace, wondering why he even bothered to let Audrey’s words get to him in the first place. It was useless to get upset over things he couldn’t change. If he wanted to be productive, he had to look towards the future.

So he allowed himself to slip away, Lord Aladdin and Audrey heading towards a banquet room while Chad made himself scarce, hoping this evening would be over soon. He wished Ben had never dragged him along, but it was too late for that now, wasn’t it? Now he just… had to deal.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Like any other time Chad felt lost in life and was in search of a desperate bid to feel grounded, Chad found himself in a library, marveling over the vast selection of well-preserved books and tombs ripe for his perusal. _This_ was his calling, his place of safety, and Chad had already wasted enough time dancing with people he barely talked to and playing ‘spin the stupid bottle’. Now, he may as well do something useful and speed read rare texts he wouldn’t have access to anywhere else, which was exactly what he did.

He found himself a safe nook in the upper library gallery and memorized the texts he had only seen mention of in the museum Ben had taken him to that afternoon. It almost seemed like that excursion was a lifetime ago, back when Chad was tinged with nerves but seemed settled, he supposed, the doofus that was Ben acting as a grounding presence towards him. It was stupid, and dangerous, Chad realized with a shock. Foolish to get invested in the human that was Benjamin Florian. After this summer it was unlikely that they’d interact with any great frequency outside of Tourney practice. Ben was going to be _king_ , and Chad was just- a vapid dimwit drifting in the distance. They wouldn’t _stay_ friends, and even if they could, there was no reason for Ben to actively be seen with the son of a whore. 

Chad wondered, with a jolt, if _that_ was why Ben had brought up the concept of ‘practicing’, just to see if Chad would take the bait- He didn’t think the prince of Auradon could be that nefarious but the inkling stayed, leaving Chad to come to _one_ single decision. He couldn’t keep finding comfort in Ben. He couldn’t, begrudgingly, _befriend_ the prince of Auradon. Chad needed to remember that the only person he could rely on was himself. There was no one else. No one who should make him feel panicked or make him feel safe and secure. Those were all Chad’s jobs, so he’d do them. 

He wasn’t sure how much time had passed – his phone had been left in the top hat (sloppy) which had vanished by the time Chad and Audrey had left the closet with Consort Aladdin. Hopefully, Ben had grabbed it for him, or maybe Chad was just down another hard to obtain tool for communication that his grandfather would most assuredly _not_ replace anytime soon. He would- he’d figure that out later. He’d figure it all out later. 

Thanks to his practice in speed reading and his devoted studies to ancient Agraben, Chad had managed to get through two books and was working on a third when he finally received company. He’d expected one of the royal guards to stumble upon him sooner or later, which was what made it surprising when a flash of shimmery turquoise filled is peripherals, pulling his attention from his book.

Sultana Jasmine grinned down at him with an easy elegance, sitting down with an effortless kind of grace that Chad would have to practice for years before he had a shot of replicating it.

“Sultana Jasmine,” Chad greeted with as best a bow he could give while being curled against the bookshelves.

“Prince Chadwick,” she replied, her smile just as genuine as before. “Did you get lost?”

“Yes,” Chad lied, fumbling to shift into his dipshit persona. “And then I got distracted by the pretty books.”

“They are quite pretty,” the sultana allowed. “But those are in ancient Agraben.”

“Huh.” Chad looked down at his collection of books as though he was seeing them for the first time. “…I suppose that explains why I can’t read them.”

The sultana merely hummed, even if she seemed onto him. Maybe she was used to trickster ways from Lord Aladdin and her son. “My husband told me about the scene you and Princess Audrey were rehearsing.”

“Oh.” Chad tried not to tense even though he failed, and then he tried to play that off as intentional even though that felt wrong too. “…we like to be prepared.”

“Of course.” The sultana nodded slowly, and Chad had to wonder why she was here. Wonder why she hadn’t sent someone to deal with the stupid prince who couldn’t even follow her husband into a banquet hall. “…I didn’t get the opportunity to know your mother well.”

“We weren’t talking about my mother,” Chad rushed to say, even when the bitter, angry snarl of _‘neither did I_ ’ stayed taunting on his tongue, eager to lash out.

“I know,” she said it lightly, like this abrupt change in conversation might make sense otherwise. “ _I_ was. And I didn’t get to know her well, but everything I ever heard and the few times I got to meet her-” She turned a genuine smile on him, one so soft and fond it made Chad feel helplessly skittish inside. “- she was a real gem, Chad. Patient, kind. Lovely inside and out.”

“…thank you.” Chad managed to keep his voice from sounding choked, for as much as he’d theorized over his mother, having someone – the _sultana_ – confirm his suspicions, was an unspeakable gift.

“Your father adored the ground she walked on,” the sultana continued. “And she matched that fondness with a brilliance that could not be denied. You know, they say the stories of my generation are like fairytales, but I never believed in the possibility of true love at first sight until I met your parents.” She leaned back with a pleased sort of smile. “They put the rest of us to shame, I think. Which was what made your mother’s passing so especially sad.”

His fingers curled into the material of his slacks, wishing he could make the world rewrite itself, wish that he could go back in time and save his mother, get to _meet_ her and love her the way he’d always wanted to try in the few moments he managed to believe he was capable of doing so.

“…Don’t let the opinion of one jealous princess undermine that,” the sultana advised him, tone presenting in a gentle caress that settled Chad better than the entirety of books in this library. “Or a bitter old man hold you back. There is nothing wrong with you, Chadwick, and I’m glad you were able to come out an celebrate my son’s birthday tonight.” She allowed her hand to settle against his shoulder, nothing untoward, just a simple gesture of support. “But it would make me gladder to have you rejoin the party. Aziz is quite thrilled with the grapple gun you made him. I’m sure he would like to express his thanks, if given the opportunity.”

“I should give my thanks as well,” Chad admitted, slowly setting his borrowed book to the side. “Thank you for talking to me, Sultana Jasmine. It…” Was a gift, to hear his mother spoken of so fondly, when he had so little of her left to cherish. “I’m honored by your presence.”

“And I, yours,” the sultana said, rising to her feet. She offered Chad a hand, and though it was so very unproper Chad took it, allowing himself to get pulled to his feet. “Now,” she began, deftly hooking her arm through Chad’s elbow. “Let’s get back to the party.”

The walk they shared back was a comfortable one, and Chad didn’t even mind getting potentially labeled as a weird suck up since the sultana’s presence was so soothing. By the time they got back to the party, things seemed to be winding down, the crowd slightly diminished as they conquered the dancefloor, friends spinning each other carefully and laughing at inside jokes. Chad bid Aziz’s mother goodbye when he spotted Doug across the room, and he managed to return his borrowed blazer with profusely reiterated thanks. 

After that, it was all sort of a blur. Chad turned down generous offers of jacket loans from other princes and managed to coerce Jane onto the dancefloor. He danced with Ruby and Lonnie as well, got dragged aside by Aziz who gushed extatically about the grapple gun. Between one breath and the next a _monkey_ delivered a piece of cake to him on a paper plate, and Chad gladly filled his empty stomach while politely listening to Princess Melody’s plans for her visit to her grandfather’s kingdom, Atlantica, in a few weeks.

It seemed like _forever_ before Ben finally found him again, draping a familiar coat onto Chad’s shoulders that he must have wrestled from Audrey’s very unwilling fingertips and a phone that he deftly slipped into Chad’s pocket. Ben even went so far as to wrap an arm around Chad’s shoulders when they finally walked towards Ben’s limo, but both of them were so tired that Chad thought it could believably pass as an expression of platonic affection rather than anything else. 

Collapsing _into_ the limo was the closest thing to relief Chad had gotten that evening, aside from listening to Doug and Jane and borrowing Doug’s coat. He didn’t care if sprawling across one side of the limo was considered unprincely, he was _exhausted_ and Ben didn’t look much better.

“ _That_ was a nightmare,” Ben declared, forgoing seats altogether and falling to his knees beside Chad, slumping his torso across the blond’s stomach as though it was his own personal pillow.

“Told you,” Chad muttered, trying not to react to Ben’s position. The opposite of love was not hate, it was apathy. If he stopped giving attention to Ben’s stupid desire to cuddle at all times, maybe the other prince would stop doing it.

“I _assure_ you it was not a nightmare for the reasons you think,” Ben pressed, wrapping his arms around the parts of Chad he could reach and nuzzling against his chest. “Where’d you go? Audrey came back with Aziz’s dad, but I didn’t see you for hours.”

Chad went with the truth, even though his motivations for seeking that reprieve would say hidden. “I found a library.”

“Of course,” Ben snorted, but he sounded fond rather than derisive, which was a stupid thing Chad absolutely _shouldn’t_ absorb like a flower turning towards the sun. “Fuck, you can be so mean. Giving my coat to Audrey. I had to bribe her with promises I am definitely not going to keep in order to get it back.”

“You should really be nicer to your future girlfriend,” Chad muttered.

“My _maybe_ future girlfriend,” Ben pressed. “Emphasis on the maybe.”

“Tell that to your parents,” Chad drawled, rolling his eyes to pull his focus from the way Ben’s fingers teased against his waist, untucking Chad’s shirt in gentle tugs.

“I have,” Ben groaned, tilting his head back so that his lips brushed against Chad’s collar. “Could I kiss you?”

“I thought you were exhausted,” Chad huffed.

“I’m never too tired for cuddle time,” Ben chirped, safely confirming Chad’s minor fear. The blond motioned for him to get on with things in an effort to distract himself, and Ben dove in eagerly, using one, lazy hand to pop the top few buttons open of Chad’s shirt, humming at the tanned skin that it exposed there.

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad warned, because apparently Ben had meant that he wanted to kiss Chad’s neck, leaving the blond torn between Audrey’s petulant accusations and the sultana’s kindness, all of it accumulating in Ben’s inability to help himself.

“I won’t leave a mark,” Ben promised, letting his lips brush against the edge of Chad’s collarbone. “But fuck, Chad – I had to watch all those princes drag you around the dancefloor without getting a chance to take you myself. Watch you get all flushed and sweaty and-” His tongue flicked out, licking a stripe against the curve of Chad’s neck, humming at the flavor it presented. “You taste so _good_.”

“Weirdo,” Chad muttered, batting at Ben’s head. The other prince ignored Chad. “Do you know why they all wanted to dance with me?”

“I assume it was because they saw you and thought ‘ _Oh fuck, Chad’s here, now’s my chance to finally dance with him_ ’,” Ben grumbled against Chad’s neck. He was slowly climbing onto the limo seat so that he was more or less draped across Chad’s body, his normally regal hair tousled in a slight disarray from dancing all evening. 

Chad made a face that immediately melted into a sigh when Ben started nipping at his neck like a true _shit_. “You make me sound like a hot commodity.”

“You’re certainly hot, alright,” Ben drawled, hand sliding under Chad’s untucked shirt to toy with the sensitive skin just above the waist of his pants. “Poor Doug, didn’t know what to do with you.”

Chad flushed. “I asked what he wanted,” he snapped, batting at Ben’s stupid bicep. “You’re the one that made it sound like you guys trade kisses all the time.”

“I did not such thing,” Ben lied. “You go and do that and then proceed to ignore the rest of the game while wearing Doug’s coat and shit, I know you don’t like Audrey, but you didn’t have to set her on _me_.”

“Of course I did.” It was Chad’s turn to be incredulous. “How else was I supposed to believably keep her at bay?” He paused when Ben’s words caught up, then continued, “And I do to like Audrey.”

“No you don’t,” Ben huffed. “But let’s talk about that later. We’re finally back at the hotel.”

“‘Finally’, he says,” Chad began to grumble when Ben slid off of him. “As though it were not a five-minute drive.”

“I know.” Ben grinned unashamedly. “I’m a very patient man.”

They said nothing else while Chad put his outfit back in order, Ben giving their chauffeur a grateful nod before herding Chad up to their private suite. As soon as the door shut behind them, he was on Chad, licking into his mouth and angling the blond towards the bed in stubborn, determined moves.

“Ben,” Chad tried to huff between kisses, _reeling_ at Ben’s blatant stubbornness. “Ben, you _fuck_.”

Instead of continuing onwards – that, for whatever reason, brought Ben to a stop, the other prince smiling apologetically. “Right, sorry,” he said. “So- bath and room service? I don’t know about you, but I didn’t get to eat much. I rarely do at those kinds of things.”

“I am, um- hungry,” Chad said, earning a brilliant smile from Ben, because he had the luxury of being pleased by stupid, small things. “And a bath sounds good-”

“Then that’s what we’ll do,” Ben declared, his fingers toying with the small buttons of Chad’s shirt. “Could I um- help you undress? You know, _sexy_ undress?”

Seeing as Ben had been generous enough to indulge Chad’s anxieties the day before _and_ gotten them tickets to a museum, this would be a prime opportunity to pay him back for it, even if Chad felt a bit uneasy by the exchange. Not the actions themselves, but mostly how much he was coming to enjoy them. It was something that was too dangerous to get accustomed to.

Chad sighed, too tired to consider the ramifications when Ben was presenting him with an array of things he wanted to do anyway. “Go for it.”

“Thank you,” Ben chirped, fingers making fast work of Chad’s buttons until he was pushing the now sweaty button-up off Chad’s shoulders. With a wink, he fell to his knees so he could undo Chad’s belt, pressing distracting kisses against his abdomen. 

“But um-” Chad flushed when Ben let his hands slid around his backside, settling on Chad’s butt before giving it a firm _squeeze_. “I think I should take one alone. After the sexy undressing, I mean.”

“What?” Ben eased Chad’s pants off slowly, only pausing to nudge the blond to sit on the edge of the bed so he could pull off his shoes and socks as well. “Why?”

“We already um- shared a bath today.” Ben was kissing up the inside of Chad’s thigh, doing his best to drive the blond very crazy in a very short amount of time. “And I- _Ben_.” Chad gently prodded against the other prince’s head so he would look at Chad, gaze laden with _want_ at Chad’s mostly naked form, making a distinct listlessness swell in Chad’s stomach. “Look, this has been fun-”

“Don’t say that,” Ben urged. “Please. Because there’s no way that sentence doesn’t end with a ‘but’.”

“It’s an important ‘but’,” Chad protested, words cutting off with a slight _‘omf’_ when Ben nudged him back onto the bed so he could pull Chad’s briefs off.

“The only important butt is _yours_ ,” Ben countered. “Now, if you’re too tired-”

“I just- I don’t want to get used to this,” Chad decided to try and reason with Ben, despite the fact that such tactics rarely worked with the crown prince and probably worked less now that he was naked and Ben was beginning to pull his own clothes off while pressing random kisses to Chad’s body. “When the school year starts up again-”

“We will hang out and be bros,” Ben declared, forcing himself to pull away from Chad’s body so he could strip his shirt off, fumbling with the buckle to his belt while he stared longingly at Chad’s flushed form. “Do you think you can get rid of me _that_ easily? Dude-” He kicked out of his pants and underwear in record time, moving to crawl on top of Chad’s body and press their bare flesh against one another, which they may have done a hundred times by this point but hearing Ben’s declaration of commitment – however friendly – made the ordeal entirely more intoxicating than normal. “I’m going to be king soon and you’re going to be on my council one day. We’re going to be seeing each other for the rest of our lives, there’s no reason we shouldn’t be together in the meantime.”

While he said this, he continued to suck teasing marks against Chad’s neck, determined to lick away the taste of dried sweat.

“So if you don’t mind,” Ben merrily continued, letting his fingers drift shamelessly over Chad’s body. “I would like to dote on you and shower you with attention.”

When it was put like that, Chad’s concerns seemed slightly juvenile, though Ben’s optimism could just as easily be misplaced. Ben would have a lot of work to do going forward, and not as much time to humor Chad even if he seemed to think so. Ultimately, Chad _shouldn’t_ become accustomed to this, but if Ben was willing…

Well, he may as well enjoy it. He had gotten some pretty nice books out of the deal, after all.

“Fine,” Chad huffed, though he’d already surrendered to Ben’s ravishment. 

“Thank you,” Ben said, kissing his way down Chad’s chest. “Thank you, thank you, thank you-”

“Knock it _off_.” Chad blushed, batting at Ben’s sweaty mop of hair. “I get it, we haven’t had a chance to practice today.”

“You don’t get it, but I’m okay with that,” Ben said, taking his sweet time to lavish Chad’s bare stomach. “Gimme a second, I’m just gonna start a bath and then we can-” Another lick and kiss. “-get to _practicing_.”

“Just- hurry,” Chad said, because the longer he had to wait out here by himself, the stupider he was going to feel. 

Ben, the _shit_ , left him with a teasing lick _between his legs_ before he all but sprinted into the bathroom, fumbling around inside for a few moments before the sound of running water took over. 

Chad shifted restlessly on the bed while he waited, painfully aware of his naked, semi-aroused state. He noticed the jacket Ben had been so insistent on loaning him dumped on the bed beside him. For lack of anything else to do, Chad grabbed it, using it to cover his torso and shield himself from the chill of the air conditioner. 

Ben stumbled into the room a moment later, gaze widening when it landed on the coat. “Could you put that on, please?”

“What, now?” Chad asked, already setting it aside. “I’m- I’m not wearing _that_ while we-”

“ _Please_?” One day, Chad was going to be able to say no to Ben’s puppy eyes, it was just not this day.

“Fine,” Chad grumbled once more, pulling on the overly large jacket in clumsy movements. On the bright side, it did shield from the cold. On the other hand though, it led to Ben looking him over with a predatory grin, Chad naked save for his jacket and feeling absolutely _dumb_ about it.

“Can I taste you?” Ben asked, nuzzling his way in between Chad’s legs and looking up at him with wide, hopeful eyes. “Please? Just like this?”

“If that’s what you want,” Chad found himself saying, and then in the next moment his legs were eased over Ben’s shoulders as the other teen swallowed him down with a vengeance, humming around Chad’s throbbing interest until he was just an incoherent mess.

“Ben,” Chad gasped. “Ben, Ben- I- _Ben_.”

“So _good_ ,” Ben moaned, pulling off of him with flushed lips. “Should have thought of this sooner.”

“Because you’re dumb?” Chad asked, and then his snark was immediately cut off by Ben’s eager mouth. 

Ben ended up taking him apart right there, happily lapping at Chad’s flushed interest while the blond released helpless whines. It seemed like forever before he tugged Chad into the bathtub, letting the blond curl against his chest. Ben had another surprise by way of a special Agraben waterproof oil that he used to stretch Chad open, teasing at that certain spot inside him until he fell apart _again_ , soiling the bathwater with his excitement. 

Though tired, Chad returned the favor by fondling between Ben’s legs with the oil himself, until Ben was a writhing mess between his hands. When they were both satisfied, they traded lazy kisses in the shower, Ben doing his best to hold them as close together as possible. They dressed in spare sets of Ben’s lounging clothes (at Ben’s insistence) and ordered room service after they repacked their wrinkled party clothes. 

Overall, the party was weird and strange and entirely not like Chad expected it to be, but Ben was there, just as interested in him as before despite having the entirety of their peers at his disposal, so maybe things were okay after all.

And maybe, dare Chad think it, they would _stay_ okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, only two more chapters to go! Thanks to everyone for all the lovely feedback and support!! It always makes my day to hear from you (if you can't tell by the excessive use of exclamation marks), so thank you!!! 
> 
> Not much by way of story notes this time around, except to note that Marsaili was also invented for the purposes of this story. She is also available for other authors’ usage, just give me a shoutout in the end notes ;D 
> 
> Until next time :)


	6. The Turning Point

“You know how you’re always saying this is for Audrey?” Was how Ben chose to greet him after a lovely morning of research, the other teen consumed with keeping his father company for princely duties while Chad got to claim a small corner of the library. He’d taken a few books back to Ben’s room around lunchtime, though he wasn’t optimistic about his ability to finish them when Ben returned.

Chad sighed, closing his book. “That’s because it _is_ for Audrey.”

He wasn’t sure why Ben didn’t get that yet.

“Right.” Or maybe he did, because he was grinning at Chad again, all conspiratorially. “So, I was thinking-”

“Please stop doing that,” Chad groaned, but then he had to stop because Ben thumped something heavy and substantial down on the desk in front of him.

It was- _oh shit_.

“Are these Auradon’s original founding _laws_?” Chad dared not touch the heavy tomb, even though that was the only thing he wanted to do because Auradon was so good in theory but had been so quickly implemented for the sake of dealing with the villains that there were notable flaws and Chad had been itching to uncover the root of so many legal loopholes for _years_ but getting his hands on any of the original legislature was all but _impossible_.

Unless you were Ben.

“Yep.” Ben was preening, leaning against Chad’s desk with a particular air of pride. “Thought you might want to get a look at them.”

_Gee,_ Chad wondered if it was all the not so subtle _demands_ he’d been making once he realized they didn’t even have a copy of this shit in the Queen’s private library. Or Ben’s private library. Or the _King’s_. 

But now it was here, right in front of him, waiting on the desk.

Chad sighed, realizing somewhere along the line he’d become a literal prostitute for knowledge. “What do you want?”

“To practice,” Ben chirped. “But since you seem to think I should be practicing for Audrey _specifically_ , I got some special tools.” He offered up a rectangular garment box to Chad, practically shoving the thing into his hands in his oafish excitement.

Part of Chad didn’t want to know what was within the box. The other part of him was aware of the law book waiting _right there_ for him to take precious, precious notes of that he could use to argue _better_ legislature for in front of the council, and it couldn’t really be _that_ bad, could it?

Why Chad thought these things, he did not know. He’d practically doomed himself from the start. 

Sure, it all seemed benign, soft tissue paper indicative of some high-class boutique, but nestled underneath seemed to be a gathering of… silk and lace and-

Chad held up the first- _thing_ – cheeks flushed a horrible shade of red and brain refusing to comprehend what it was seeing. “Did you- are these _panties_?”

“Yep.” Back to preening, Ben’s stupid grin got horribly wide.

Panic built in Chad’s throat. “How did you get these? Does anyone _know_ you got these?”

_Fuck_ , what if Ben had just sent a servant for a _box full of panties_ and they got them for him because it was _Ben_ and no one was going to say shit if the crown prince was a pervert or whatever.

Ben had the audacity to give him an offended look. “I can be discreet.”

“Yeah, but were you?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Ben groaned. “Come on, stop worrying about unimportant stuff. Focus on this.”

“This.” Chad held up the offending garment. “The panties. You want me to focus on the panties.”

“…there’s a skirt in there too,” Ben muttered, having the good grace to seem bashful. Even he had limits.

Chad didn’t want to keep looking through the box but he pulled the tissue paper back anyway and immediately regretted his life. “ _How many did you get_?”

“You know.” Ben’s flush darkened. “I got extra. Just in case.”

“In case of _what_?” Chad felt like he was screeching but he probably wasn’t. It was like, an internal screech because he was holding panties and that was a thing he had not mentally prepared himself for yet, that was supposed to be a post-girlfriend problem but like, a _way down the road_ post-girlfriend problem but now they were right there in his hand taunting him.

“I don’t _know_ ,” Ben huffed. “But I thought, you know, we could roleplay.”

“ _How_?”

Was access to vital and stubbornly guarded laws worth whatever the fuck Chad was about to do? 

Yes, he knew it was, but also _fuck_.

“You’ll pretend to be Audrey,” Ben explained, and like he was with the rest of this process, he tried to make it sound super reasonable. “And I’ll satisfy you. Every box gets checked. Win-win.”

Except the part where Chad apparently has to put on a pair of panties and pretend to be a princess and if his grandmother was not rolling in her grave then Chad was a monkey’s stupid uncle. 

But there was also a broken part of Chad that found the prospect exciting likely _because_ it would piss off his grandparents and if there was ever a reason _not_ to do something, that was it, but here he was, holding onto the um- _thing_ anyway.

“I can’t believe you committed treason just because you’re horny,” Chad muttered, because he couldn’t say anything else.

Ben perked up. “Not treason,” he declared. “I have a right to share it with whoever I deem appropriate, even though I’ve been trained to never-ever do that, it’s still _technically_ allowed.”

“Loopholes,” Chad muttered, internally despairing.

“I know, right?” Ben smiled. “So I figure for every um- roleplay session I’ll give you an hour with the book.”

“Two hours,” Chad sniffed.

It was a thick book.

“ _Done_.”

They shook on it, Chad using the hand that was free of the panty terror.

Ben looked away shyly. “There’s a um- pink pair in there.”

To be accurate, there were a _lot_ of pink pairs in the box, likely because pink was Audrey’s color. Chad also found one of the aforementioned skirts (it was short and flippy) before he grumbled off towards the bathroom, because no matter how Ben pled, Chad wanted to change into this shit _by_ himself. 

He also wanted to have a mini panic attack by himself, which he had as efficiently as possible, breathing through the anxiety while he slid off his pants and underwear and silently wished that his grandfather had sent him to like, Agrabah for the summer instead. Aziz didn’t care about girls yet, he only wanted _adventures_ , which wasn’t great for Chad’s thirst for knowledge but it wouldn’t have led to _this_.

Chad used his annoyance to work the silky material up his legs, surrendering to a distinct swell of self-loathing when he realized he was _excited_ by this stupid process. And that the panties were too small, and he sort of poked out of the top. This was stupid. If Chad should be hating anyone, it was Ben. 

He stepped into the skirt that was too short and swayed too easily before looking at himself in the mirror, and then immediately regretted that decision.

“Never mind,” Chad called through the door, certain he would die of embarrassment. With his light blue sweater and his dumb not-girl legs the entire outfit looked ridiculous and Chad hated it. “Keep your book. I’m just gonna-”

“ _Hey, no- it’s okay_ ,” Ben urged, volume loud enough that he was likely right on the other side of the door. “ _What’s wrong?_ ”

“What’s wrong is that I look _stupid_ ,” Chad snapped, trying to hold onto his anger to combat the conflicting feelings of shame and- disappointment, maybe. Had he been hoping he’d look pretty? What the fuck was wrong with him? “I’m not a girl, Ben. Just- let’s roleplay without the clothes.”

“ _No. Come on, Chad_.” Ben was relentless. “ _I bet anything you look great. I promise I won’t laugh at you or anything, this **was** my idea after all._”

Chad hesitated, hated the way Ben was so supportive. “…if it’s dumb, I’m not doing this again,” he muttered, feeling his cheeks heat. “I mean, if it doesn’t work…” If it killed Ben’s boner because Chad looked nothing like a princess or whatever.

“ _Promise_ ,” Ben said, like it was easy. “ _Just, come out._ _The door to my room and the door to my suite is locked. We’re good_.”

Chad let his head fall back with a groan. “ _Fine_.”

With his heart pounding furiously in his chest, Chad opened the bathroom door, unsurprised to find Ben waiting just on the other side.

He stared, as though somehow entranced by Chad’s bare legs.

“Um…” There was a lovely sort of blush on Ben’s cheeks and Chad adored it. “You look very lovely, Audrey.”

Oh. Right, yes. “Thank you, Ben,” Chad said, even though Audrey would never be nearly as polite. 

“May I um… show you to my bed?”

_This boy_. He had no swag. 

Timidly, Chad accepted Ben’s proffered hand, even though Audrey would definitely not fall for it, would _definitely_ eat Ben alive. 

So that was how Chad came to be led back to Ben’s large bed, lower half of his body bare save for a short skirt and panties, and while he felt _unquestionably_ stupid Ben was so very careful with him, stuttering and blushing the way he would with Audrey, the way he would with someone he actually cared about. 

They sat beside each other like stupid, fumbling virgins who hadn’t been practicing intimate relations with each other for the past few weeks.

“So.” Ben cleared his throat awkwardly. “May I um- please look under your skirt?”

“F-Fine,” Chad allowed, keeping his gaze fixed to his lap. 

Ben’s hands were stupidly careful when he pushed up the hem of the skirt, his breath _literally_ catching when he caught sight of the too-small panties. “… _Woah_ ,” he murmured, letting his fingers trace the delicate material. “Fucking- I’m gonna eat you out now.”

“What happened to _asking_?” Chad snapped but Ben was already kneeling between his legs, mouthing at the silky fabric like a man on a mission, holding Chad’s thighs wide so he could continue his relentless tease. “ _Ben_.”

“Yes, Audrey?” Ben was licking at the sensitive flesh that extended above the waist of the panties, Chad’s excitement making the flimsy skirt material tent up around him. “What would you like?”

Too many things and Chad should ask for none of them.

_But_ … he wasn’t Chad right now. Now, he was Audrey.

“S-Suck me,” he gasped, feeling impudent for even verbalizing the request. 

What if Ben didn’t do it? What if Ben _laughed_ at him-?

“Okay.” Ben shifted Chad backwards so that he was splayed across the bed; Ben’s head firmly nestled between his legs as he sucked at Chad’s need. It was as enthusiastic as it was any other time Ben got his mouth on him, only this time he kept tracing his hands across the rest of the panties, edging the waist lower in the back so that half of Chad’s ass was hanging out. 

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad groaned, feeling those wicked fingers slide under the edge of the panties so he could knead Chad’s butt, urging his hips forward into his mouth.

“You’re such a pretty princess, Audrey,” Ben mumbled between licks, one hand fumbling for his pocket. “So cute in your panties.”

“ _Ben_.” Chad let one of his hands card through the other prince’s short hair, even though he knew he didn’t have the right but Ben let out a happy kind of hum, looking at Chad with an open sort of adoration.

He finally located whatever had been in his pocket, and Chad felt a swell of pleasure when he realized it was lubricant. “ _Ben_ -”

“Please,” Ben whined, nuzzling against Chad’s groin, his other hand already teasing between Chad’s cheeks. “ _Please_? I’ll make it really good, Audrey, I promise.” He started kissing Chad’s hip. “I won’t stop until you’re satisfied.”

Which was something that would actually appeal to Audrey, so Chad found himself nodding. “Okay, _fine_. Just-”

Chad watched as Ben fumbled the lubricant with one hand, slathering a generous amount on his fingertips before he slid them back under the panties, massaging Chad’s entrance with expert care.

“So wet,” Ben mused, somewhat awed. “ _Fuck_ , thinking about you getting wet in the panties I gave you- do you like them?”

“Y-Yes.” Chad blushed, kept one hand on Ben’s head and the other fisted in the sheets beside him.

Ben perked up. “You do?” This made him unreasonably happy. “I’ve got so many more, Audrey; I want to see you in all of them.”

_Fuck_.

“Don’t be a pervert, Ben,” Chad snapped, as though he didn’t have a finger sliding into him at that exact moment, as though he were not the height of perversion.

Ben chuckled against his thigh, teasing the skin there. “ _I’m_ the pervert? I can see your nipples through your shirt.”

No he couldn’t, though Chad still looked down frantically, fumbling at his chest before he realized Ben was a big fat liar.

Who laughed at him again. “Okay, maybe not. But you’re definitely not wearing a bra.”

“You’re so stupid,” Chad muttered, groaning when Ben slid a second finger into him because it got easier every time, like Chad was a little more used to it, a little more desperate.

“And you’re pretty,” Ben countered. “Can I um… see it?”

“See _what_?” Ben had literally seen everything; Chad didn’t know what else he could give him.

“Your chest,” Ben clarified, cheeks heating in a furious blush. “May I see it?”

Audrey definitely would not relent to such a pitiful request, but Chad desperately _wanted_ to because Ben had asked so nicely, seemed so legitimate and maybe he really was just a slut or something. 

“Fine,” Chad relented, pushing the hem of his sweater up until he exposed his pectorals that Ben literally saw _every day_.

“ _Wow_ ,” Ben breathed, staring at the bared skin with a dopey smile. “You’re um- very pretty.”

“I _know_ , Ben,” Chad snapped, hated how Ben could maintain such an easy conversation with him while sliding another finger into Chad, could keep teasing the heat between his legs that was straining against his panties. 

“Could you…” Ben swallowed. “Could you play with your nipples, for me?”

“What?” That was a new request.

“ _Please_ ,” Ben whined, pressing sloppy kisses between Chad’s legs. “I’d do it if I could, but my hands are full.”

To emphasize this he buried his three fingers as deep as they could go, specifically taunting Chad with a relentless _stretch_.

“W-Whatever,” Chad mumbled, fingers feeling clumsy as he reached for his nipples. He had never done this part of the routine before – that was all Ben – and Chad felt kind of stupid, twisting and pinching at the small nubs. He felt emboldened by Ben’s interest, though. His focus seemed narrowed in on Chad’s fingers, and he would shiver anytime Chad accidentally did something that made him moan, like Chad’s pleasure was his own. It was what found Chad working himself at a faster pace, chest heaving and mouth falling open for desperate gasps of air, and then-

A fourth finger was coaxed into Chad, making him stop entirely, hips shoving down onto Ben’s fingers with a groan. Fuck, _yes_ , Chad wanted that, wanted _more_. The burning stretch felt so good and he was sick with it, knew he was lost when Ben hadn’t even found the spot yet.

“Do you like that?” Ben murmured against his hip. “Is that good, Audrey?”

“Yes,” Chad gasped. “Yes, Ben that’s- _oh._ ”

“Do you… do you want more?”

Chad felt his toes curl, hating the part of him that immediately wanted to answer _yes_. “You um- don’t have any more fingers.”

Except for his thumb, but Chad was pretty sure he couldn’t fit a whole fist inside even though he wanted to because apparently he was a whore. His grandfather always said Chad’s mom was a slut and he knew that was wrong, knew his parent’s had true love because of his father’s depression, but maybe that misunderstanding was Chad’s fault all along. Maybe it’d been obvious and _that_ was why Ben wanted to ‘practice’ all this stuff with him. 

Ben flushed. “I was thinking something else.”

He fumbled for his pocket again, eventually holding up a little foil packet Chad had only read about in those ‘safe sex’ pamphlets.

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad gasped, his entire body tensing at the implication. Which was good, except that meant he tightened around Ben’s fingers and that felt really good so it all came out as a moan which wasn’t great for his argument.

“It’ll be good,” Ben promised. “I’ve got protection. We can be safe.”

“Ben…” The other teen removed his fingers so he could urge Chad further back onto the bed so he could climb over him, make his beseeching argument face-to-face.

“It’ll be okay, Audrey,” Ben promised, rubbing between Chad’s legs.

“What- what if it breaks?” Chad was sort of desperate for a way out of this even if he actually wasn’t. “What if I um- get pregnant?”

“Then I’ll marry you,” Ben said, gaze painfully earnest. “And we’ll raise a family together.”

“ _Stupid_ ,” Chad groaned, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from the condom, because he wanted _that_ , badly. “Ben…”

“We can stop,” Ben said, pressing kisses to Chad’s shoulder. “I won’t mind if we stop. We could go to the shower-”

“ _No_.” Chad flushed at the insistence in his voice, had to hide his face in his hands he was so embarrassed. “Fuck. I mean- yeah. Go ahead.”

“Hey.” Ben tugged carefully at his wrist, kissing at Chad’s neck until he’d finally look at him. “You don’t need to be shy, Audrey. This is my first time too. We’re in this together, okay?”

“…okay,” Chad whispered, even though he wasn’t Audrey. Even though Ben was wasting his first time on _Chad_ because he wanted practice, though as far as Chad could tell he sure as shit didn’t _need_ it.

“Thank you,” Ben huffed, sounding legitimately grateful. “I’m just gonna…”

Ben slid the condom onto himself, lathering it up with more lubricant that made Chad’s legs twitch wide. He grabbed Chad’s legs, and much like he had that first night, he pushed them up until Chad was exposed. The panties had slid down his thighs as a result, and Ben took a moment to settle the material over Chad’s throbbing need, trapping him in a relentless tease of silk before he angled himself against Chad’s entrance.

“This will probably hurt a little,” Ben said, as though Chad hadn’t figured that out. “If it gets to be too much, let me know.”

“Okay.” Chad nodded, tilting his hips upward insistently. He needed to get on with it.

The first press of _Ben_ was a definite adjustment, the prince’s- well, _he_ was much larger than his fingers but Chad found himself moaning anyway like the dumb slut he was. 

“ _Fuck_ , Chad,” Ben groaned as he slowly pushed into him. “You’re so tight.”

“A-Audrey,” Chad managed, feeling like he was close to losing all coherency. “I’m Audrey, you fuck.”

“Right,” Ben moaned. “ _Audrey_ , you’re so- you feel so good.” He slid all the way inside Chad and it was- it felt _nice_ being so wonderfully full, felt nice and preposterous because the _prince of Auradon_ was fucking him, Chad’s grandfather had sent him here to learn what he could and Chad had picked up how to take sex from another man instead of anything useful. _Fuck_.

“Ben,” Chad whined, shaking against him. “M-Move, please. Ben. You’re so- _please_.”

“Okay,” Ben soothed, pressing a kiss to his cheek, his jaw. “As you wish, princess.”

The first shift was an adjustment, Chad’s body singing with loneliness at the feel of being empty before Ben slid into him again, full and good but-

“ _Faster_ ,” Chad huffed. “And harder, please.”

“Harder?” Ben echoed. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I’ll let you know if you’re-” Chad swallowed. “ _Please_ , Ben.”

“Okay.” And _finally_ Ben began to move faster, actually shoving into Chad and it was wonderful, his mouth falling open to a mess of incoherent sounds because it felt so good, so- intimate and then he found the damn _spot_ and Chad was mewling.

“ _There_.” Chad clutched at his shoulders. “Fuck- _there_ Ben, please.”

“Like this?” Ben asked, finding that spot again.

“ _Yes_ ,” Chad moaned. “There, right there.”

“Do you like this?” Ben asked, nipping at Chad’s jaw. “Do you like it when I fuck you, Audrey?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Chad cried, felt tears pooling at the corners of his eyes for some reason, maybe because he shouldn’t be allowed to feel this good. “Fuck, Ben- _please_.”

“Say it,” Ben urged. “I mean- please, if you want to, I’d appreciate it-”

“I-” Chad moaned when Ben slammed forcefully against that spot, making his entire body _shake_. “I um- I like it when you fuck me, Ben. It’s- _fuck_.”

“Do you want to do this again?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Chad croaked, and he realized, belatedly, it was true. He _wanted_ to do this again, but not as Audrey. He wanted to- he wanted to do this as Chad, he wanted to do it _with_ Ben and he wanted it more than any of the princess fantasies all the other guys at Tourney Camp ever talked about, knew somehow that this was it for him, this had _always_ been it for him but he’d been too stubborn to acknowledge it.

“Good,” Ben murmured against his lips, pulling Chad into a passionate kiss. “Then we will do it again. Are you ready, baby? Are you close?”

“Yes.” Chad kept his eyes squeezed shut because otherwise he’d fall entirely apart. “Yes, Ben.”

“Me too, baby.” He started moving faster. “Let’s try to come together, alright?”

“Ben.” It felt like a warning and an apology, like a promise Chad couldn’t keep. “Ben. Ben, I’m gonna-”

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Ben murmured. “Just let go. I’m here. I’m here and you’re so-”

It was Ben who lost it first. Ben who fell apart but Chad could _feel_ it, every twitch and shiver through their intimate connection and _that_ was what made Chad lose it, soiling the panties trapped around his interest as he fell apart without any direct contact. Ben held them like that for a moment, gasping for air as he angled their foreheads together, his hands burning against Chad’s bare legs that shivered from the contact. He seemed reluctant to let go, though eventually he did, pulling out of Chad in an easy movement and resettling the new clothes as best he could before he flopped down beside him.

“ _Wow_ ,” Ben huffed, managing a shaky grin as he fumbled to tie off the condom. “That was great and… are you okay?”

“Um…” Chad found himself blinking frantically, trying to stop the heat that was building in his eyes and feeling helpless when he couldn’t. “No.”

“No?” Ben immediately turned to him, worried, not even bothering to put himself away as he tried to comfort Chad. “Did I hurt you? _Fuck_. I’ve got a doctor who’s signed nondisclosure agreements-”

“You didn’t hurt me,” Chad mumbled, felt the tears pouring down his cheeks. 

_Fuck_ , he was so stupid. 

“Then what’s wrong?” Ben asked, trying to get Chad to stop hiding his face but Chad _couldn’t_ stop hiding his face because he was so very dumb. “Chad-”

“I’m _gay_ , alright?!” Chad snapped, trying to pull away from Ben’s stupid hands. He’d never said it out loud, never _thought_ to say it but now that the words were out there it felt like a death sentence, like another tool his grandfather would use against him to explain Chad’s inadequacies.

And Ben- genuine, _hopeless_ Ben, just sort of blinked at him. “…yeah?”

It was... not the response Chad had been expecting.

But Ben was looking at him, waiting for Chad to embellish, because this was- that was information he already knew.

It sort of felt like Chad’s world was falling apart. “Did…was _that_ why you did all this?” His voice was a wet gasp and he hated it, hated how disbelieving he sounded. “Was _that_ the reason why?”

“I mean…” Ben flushed. “It’s why I was pretty sure you’d be interested. Or, _could_ be interested.”

Holy fuck. Ben had known Chad was- the whole time, probably even _before_ they’d started-

And maybe that was the reason he’d invited Chad over for the summer. It wasn’t to _improve relations_ or _establish lifelong friendships_ – it’d been seen as an honor to be chosen, but really Ben just wanted someone he could sleep with that he wouldn’t have to worry about getting pregnant. Which- _of course_ , because it wasn’t like they’d been actual friends. They’d been acquaintances shoved together by happenstance, and Chad had just allowed him to- 

“Fucking, fuck,” Chad hissed, struggling to sit up. He was so fucking stupid. What had he been thinking, that Ben _liked_ him? That Ben was _harmless_? No one was harmless. Not even the heir to the Auradon throne.

“Hey…” Ben reached for his shoulder but Chad jerked away. He was already as low as he could get, practically half naked, wearing _girls’ clothes_ like some desperate whore. “Chad… you knew that, right? That you were-”

“ _Obviously_ ,” Chad snapped, even though it was a lie, a recognizable one because he _couldn’t stop crying_ and Ben was just sort of staring at him like he was a broken thing. “Who wouldn’t know?”

“Hey- _shit_.” Ben reached for him again, and Chad scrambled off the bed, onto shaky legs because he’d _just_ been- “Chad, I’m sorry. This is coming out all wrong. I didn’t mean to hurt you-”

“No, you just wanted something to _fuck_ ,” Chad hissed, staring around frantically before his gaze settled on the bathroom. His clothes. He could- he’d go there.

“ _No_.” Ben tried to follow after him. “That’s not true, Chad. We’re friends-”

“No we’re _not_.” They made it to the bathroom door at the same time, Ben looking so very lost and Chad couldn’t stop crying and _what had he been expecting_. “We weren’t friends before this and we’re not friends _now_ so just-” Chad pushed his way inside, slamming the door shut before Ben could join him. “ _Don’t talk to me_.”

He changed back into his old clothes quickly, trying to wash out the ruined panties in the sink through a blur of tears. 

“ _Chad_.” Of course Ben wouldn’t listen. Why should he? He was going to be king one day. “ _Chad, I’m sorry_.”

Did he even need to be? Chad was the one who had taken him up on his deal. Ben probably thought he was doing Chad a favor.

“ _I didn’t invite you here for the summer to have sex with you. I mean- I **did** want to have sex with you- still do, but not like- that wasn’t **just** the reason why_.”

Frustrated, Chad gave up on the stupid panties and threw them into the bathtub, letting himself slide down the wall until he could hide his face in the shelter of his knees.

“ _You’re just so cute and witty, and my parents knew you were gay-_ ”

“What?” Chad croaked, staring at the door in panic because the _king and queen_ \- “Who else knows?”

There was a pause. “… _everyone?_ ”

Everyone. Fucking _everyone_ knew and it was no wonder, no wonder the girls never flirted with him (and he’d been so relieved) and no wonder the guys at Tourney camp had been so wary at first until they realized he wasn’t like, going to _ogle_ them (he just thought that was the whole cut-throat Sardinia thing) and no wonder his grandfather hated him _so very much_ because he got stuck with a useless _pansy_ for a grandson and everyone knew it, Chad couldn’t even hide it, because they _already knew_.

He started sobbing helplessly against his legs, feeling like the world was crashing down around him. He thought he was so clever, doing his research and learning everything he could to make the world a better place, trying to control his image when he’d missed this giant _flaw_ without even realizing it. 

“ _Chad!_ ” Ben was pounding against the door now. “ _Let me in, Chad. Chad?! **Fuck**_.”

He needed to stop crying. He needed to get a hold of himself. This was his future _king_ and Chad was throwing a giant hissy fit because they’d had consensual intimate relations on a regular basis on slightly different grounds than he’d initially anticipated. What was he thinking, that friends made out with each other? That didn’t seem like an unreasonable thing. But what did Chad know, he was _stupid_.

He was still trying to figure out how to salvage the situation while trying to steady his breathing to slow down his tears when he heard the first _slam_ against the door, making him jump and stare at it helplessly. There was a pause, and then another slam. A pause, and then-

Ben kicked his way through the damn door, not so much as staring at the broken mess he’d left behind him before he was wrapping himself around Chad, dragging him close to his side.

“I’m so sorry,” he murmured, even as Chad struggled against his hold. “I’m so sorry, Chad. That was- I was so fucking stupid, please forgive me-”

“Of course,” Chad croaked, rubbing at his cheeks in a fruitless effort to make himself look less pathetic. “There’s nothing to forgive, your highness.”

“No, _no_ please don’t say that.” Ben seemed close to tears himself. “Please don’t say that, Chad. Go back to making fun of me and saying I’m stupid.”

“You’re stupid, your highness,” Chad said quietly, not quite able to meet Ben’s eye.

“ _No_.” Ben buried his face in Chad’s hair. “Fuck, I’m sorry. You’re just so smart and calm and collected all the time and I thought- I mean, you’re so smooth, everyone knows that, I thought you _knew_ and you just didn’t care and I never even bothered to ask. I didn’t think it would be a problem but it obviously is-”

“Of _course_ it’s a problem!” Chad snapped, rubbing at his eyes. “I have to marry a princess, Ben. What kind of princess is going to want to marry a- a pansy?”

Ben growled. Like, an actual sort of growling noise emanated from Ben’s throat as he held Chad tighter. “Don’t call yourself that,” Ben murmured, low and deadly. “You’re nothing like that. You’re Chadwick James – you’re brilliant and charismatic and will sucker punch a librarian if it will get you the book you want. None of that makes you a pansy.”

“Tell that to my grandfather,” Chad snapped. “I’m an embarrassment to my royal line and I can’t even hide it because everyone else already knows about it.”

“If your grandfather feels that way then _he’s_ the embarrassment,” Ben said, vehemently. “Chad, I invited you here because I like you, okay? I wanted to get to know you better because… because I have a crush on you.” What the actual fuck. “You have no idea how many guys at Auradon Prep want you to be their boyfriend but you give _none of us_ the time of day because you’re so focused on improving your kingdom and improving Auradon but any time someone tries to call you on it you act like a vague doofus and it’s as sexy as it is frustrating.” 

But Chad had been subtle. He’d been _sneaky,_ how could they possibly know- and Ben had a _crush on him_?

“But what about Audrey?”

“ _I’m_ _not dating Audrey_ ,” Ben snapped. “I already told my parents that. I already told _Audrey_ that- you’re the only one who hasn’t gotten the memo!”

To be fair, Chad had to listen to Audrey _a lot._ He was pretty sure she also hadn’t gotten the memo, but maybe she’d just realized Ben had a crush on Chad and was trying to warn him away. That was a very Audrey thing to do.

“You…” Chad swallowed, tried to come to terms with this. “You like me.”

“Yes.” He could feel Ben’s head nod against his hair.

“…even though I’m a guy.”

“I give zero fucks about your guy-ness,” Ben muttered. “In fact, it’s a perk. We could be roommates next year.”

“You are the crown prince,” Chad sputtered. “You have to have your own room _-_ ”

“Then you could visit, a lot,” Ben insisted. “And I’ll bring you every book I can find and you definitely don’t have to have sex with me to get them, though if you felt inclined to, I would never turn you away.”

What the _fuck_.

“Would you…” Ben squeezed him closer. “Would you be my boyfriend, Chad?”

“I can’t.” Chad felt panic building in his chest. “I want to but I _can’t_.”

“Your grandfather can’t stop us,” Ben said, proving he had some brain cells in there when he accurately deduced the problem.

“Yes, he can,” Chad snapped. “My grandfather _can_ and _will_ stop us if he thinks it’s for the best. He’d probably – I don’t know – spread some sort of rumor about how I’m a whore or something so no one would ever take you seriously if I was by your side. How I was ‘arm candy’ and then there’d be all these ‘when’s Prince Benjamin going to get a _real_ partner?’ stories going around and we won’t have even broken up yet before they’re planning out your next relationship.” 

Which would likely be with Audrey. 

“ _Fuck_ ,” Chad whispered, pressing his palms against his eyes. He was going to start crying again. He wasn’t even in a relationship with Ben and he was sad that it was over.

“Chad,” Ben began softly. “Does he… has he done that sort of stuff to you before? Called you bad names?”

“Of course he has,” Chad sniffed. “He’s my grandfather, and he hates me. He has to _discipline_ me any time he thinks I’ve failed.”

“Has he… hit you before?”

Chad scoffed. “Just when I talk back. He prefers to keep most of his punishments hands off.” The assassination attempts he leaves to others. 

“Chad.” Ben squeezed him tighter. “That’s abuse, Chad.”

“He was a _king_ , Ben.” Chad knew what abuse was. “And until I’m eighteen, he has total control over me. It’s fine, I’m used to it.”

“It’s _not_ fine,” Ben snapped. “What about your dad? Does he-?”

“My dad doesn’t talk to me,” Chad interrupted quietly. “He hasn’t really since my mom died.”

“But…” Ben sounded so lost. “… she died when you were little, though.”

Yeah, Chad knew. He was _intimately_ aware.

Ben pressed some kisses against his hair. “We need to tell my mom.”

“ _No_ ,” Chad hissed. “That’ll just put her in the line of fire.”

“My mom’s the Queen of Auradon, Chad,” Ben said quietly. “I think this is one fight she can win.”

“It’s fine, Ben,” Chad tried to assure him. “Look, you’ll get a crush on someone else. You’ve had the full Chad experience now, there’s literally nothing-”

Ben interrupted him with a kiss, insistent but gentle, moving against Chad until he finally melted into the affection.

“You,” he said when he pulled back. “-are _worth_ fighting for, Chad.”

He kissed him again, like it was that simple, until Chad was whining into the contact, desperate for more.

“No one’s going to hurt you again,” Ben promised. “Whether we date or not, I’m going to protect you.”

But who would protect Ben, Chad wondered, though he wasn’t strong enough to voice it. Couldn’t do much more than wash off his face while Ben disposed of the evidence of their little tryst, until they were as ready as they’d ever be for an impromptu meeting with the queen. 

Fuck. Holy _fuck_. What a day. 

And it wasn’t over yet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Fathers' Day, everyone! How better to celebrate than with some smut, I guess ;)
> 
> And here we are, almost at the end! The final chapter will be posted Wednesday/Thursday, along with the deleted scenes and the first chapter of my next story. It will be a return to Chad poly fics, so for those of you who joined this journey of monogamy, thank you. I hope you enjoyed the ride :)
> 
> Until next time ^_^


	7. The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Okay, so this chapter’s a bit of a rough one. Two warnings – one for privacy violations and one for non-graphic abuse against Chad. Please see the endnotes for more details.

Chad only felt more reluctant the closer they got to the queen’s private study. Ben had tried holding his hand but Chad had almost flinched across the hallway at the attempt, feeling too unsettled in this skin to even properly apologize. Ben seemed to get it though, keeping a respectable distance until they bypassed all the guards and servants and Lumière until they were finally in a cozy nook that oversaw the gardens, Queen Belle tucked inside a tall wing-backed chair with a pile of books beside her, taking in some leisure reading while her husband was away. 

She looked up when they entered, offering a fond grin that seemed to melt away when she caught sight of Chad’s non-expressive face. “Is something wrong, boys?”

“Yes,” Ben said, even when Chad began shaking his head because who was he kidding, this was a terrible idea. “Chad’s grandfather-”

“-misses me,” Chad finished, earning a confused look from Ben. “And probably wants me to come home.”

“What?” Ben wasn’t having it. “ _No_. That’s not happening.” He turned back to his mother. “Chad’s grandfather-”

“This is an exaggeration,” Chad said. “It isn’t nearly as bad-”

“-has been abusing him,” Ben said, just- laying it all out there, and Chad didn’t think the words were nearly so horrible until they were said in the presence of the _queen_.

“Has been disciplining me,” Chad corrected, because there was an important distinction. “He’s old school, your majesty-”

“He hits Chad.” Ben’s entire focus was on his mom now, though he had one hand stubbornly latching onto Chad’s, as though to keep him from running away.

“I’m an obnoxious shit, Ben,” Chad snapped. “I deserve to get hit every once and a while.”

Queen Belle, who had been silent to that point, chose that moment to intercede, rising quietly to her feet. “No, you don’t Chad. No one deserves to have that happen to them.”

“He emotionally abuses him too,” Ben pressed, suddenly an expert.

Chad sputtered. “He _doesn’t_ \- that’s not what he does.”

“You said he’d call you a whore.” Ben’s gaze was furious, though Chad had to remind himself that it wasn’t at _him_.

“Well clearly _I am one_ ,” Chad snapped, feeling a familiar wetness grow in his eyes again. He squeezed them shut fruitlessly, though it seemed to be no use.

“ _Chad_.” Ben was so careful when he pulled him into a hug, likely because Chad looked extra pathetic. “No. _No_ , it’s not like that. I’m so sorry if I made you feel that way-”

“That’s something we’ll talk about later.” Oh fuck, the queen was hugging them now, touching _both_ of them. “But Ben’s right, Chad. Even without fully understanding the situation, I know that much.”

She was just saying that to be nice, because queens couldn’t admit that the prince they’d invited over for the summer actually turned out to be needy sluts who cried in their private offices.

“What all has he done, Chad?” the queen asked, voice so very gentle. “I need you to tell me everything.”

“Just-” Chad shook his head. “Ben was exaggerating. It’s really not that bad.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” the queen said, and she was the _queen_ , it wasn’t like Chad could deny her.

So he explained it all, huddled together with them. Explained how his grandfather hated his mother for being a commoner, for _‘stealing’_ his dad’s affections and how he called her a whore and how he hated Chad because his father had never gotten remarried even though his grandfather wanted him to, wanted a ‘more suitable’ heir, but Chad’s father was too committed to his mom’s memory so the Duke was stuck with Chad. 

He explained how his grandfather controlled almost everything he did, who he could talk to, what he could do or learn. He explained about how he’d made himself develop poison immunities after a near-miss assassination attempt, and then about all the _other_ assassination attempts, and about the scratchy bed (which was fine) and the locks on his doors and his refusal to let Chad ever speak to Jane, or have real friends. 

And eventually, he explained about how on occasion his grandfather would hit him – just a backhand or two here and there, maybe a caning if he was _really_ angry. Sometimes he’d withhold food, which was what made Chad get good at parkour, climbing around the castle grounds in the dead of night in an effort to steal some food because he thought his stomach was going to eat itself if he didn’t.

When it was over he allowed himself to sag into Ben’s arms because the other prince had never stopped holding him, neither of them had – the queen only moving to coax them onto a couch and offer Chad a handkerchief so he’d be less of a mess.

The queen gave him a few minutes to collect himself, petting his hair in careful strokes while Ben pressed against his side, letting Chad nuzzle against his chest _in front of his mom_ and she didn’t even say anything. Maybe revealing minor trauma gave you a free pass for inappropriate behavior for a short period of time.

“…do you have anyone who could corroborate your story?”

There were plenty but all of them had been scared into submission under the threat of his grandfather. “I have videos,” Chad offered. “Grandfather likes me to watch them so I can remember what I did wrong.”

Ben tensed, but went back to petting his side, like maybe Chad had done something right.

“…could I see them?” the queen asked.

“You probably shouldn’t.” It was the best advice he could give. Actually, he felt a lot better just talking about this stuff. Maybe that was enough for him. “My grandfather-”

“Committed a crime,” she interrupted softly. “And needs to be arrested.”

“But-” Chad dabbed at his face with the ruined handkerchief. “I finally have a good feel for his power base. If you arrest him they’ll scatter to the woodwork and I won’t be able to keep my dad safe.”

“Is- is your dad in danger?” Ben asked.

Chad tensed. “…mistakes happen. Monuments to your dead wife can be accidentally demolished. Prescriptions could conveniently forget to be refilled. He could be sent to the wrong therapist who causes a relapse.” Which had been a horrible summer. “If my father were to fail before I came of age, my grandfather would take over again, and he’d likely rule until the day he died.”

“You know…” Queen Belle began quietly. “I think it’s time I invited your father for a stay.”

“Queen Belle-”

“ _No_.” She shook her head stubbornly, showing where Ben got his obstinance from. “Your mother was a dear friend of mine, and I’ve been remiss in my duties to her memory for far too long. Please, get me those videos, Chad. Give us the names of your grandfather’s most trusted advisers and we’ll see an end to this.”

“The other kingdoms won’t take kindly to Auradon’s interference,” Chad mumbled, feeling panic build in his chest. “It establishes a bad precedence-”

“That is for me to handle,” the queen soothed. “You’re so clever, Chad, and you’ve been taking on far more than someone your age should ever have to. Let us take care of you for once.”

“But…” Chad didn’t know what to say.

“You’re safe here,” she offered simply, Ben hugging him tighter on his other side.

And that, apparently, was that.

-:-:-:-:-:-

The entire night, Chad felt like he had been waiting for the other shoe to drop, despite Ben’s many and genuine reassurances that everything would be fine. Doom finally came for them the next morning when they were called into the king’s office.

This was worrying for two reasons. The foremost being that King Adam was supposed to be on tour, and if he _wasn’t_ on tour then he’d been called back for an emergency that apparently involved both Ben and Chad. The second reason became apparent when they entered the office and Chad’s grandfather was waiting next to the king’s desk, wearing an expression of intense distain and disappointment that he reserved for occasions where Chad had horribly messed up.

Immediately, Ben moved to stand in front of Chad, which didn’t seem to help the disposition of either of the kings.

“So,” King Adam began solemnly. “I take it you know why you’re here?”

“No, dad.” Ben held an arm out when it looked like Chad was going to move beside him, keeping his gaze fixed forward. “I thought you were supposed to be in Arendelle.”

“I _was_ in Arendelle,” the king began with an appropriate amount of suspense. “Until these photos hit the media.”

With a disgust that could only be masked from years of etiquette training, the king opened up a folder, holding up a series of screenshots that seemed to have been captured from a news story that must have released late last night. That was all Chad could logically discern when the content of the photos finally registered, his mind seeming to disconnect from his surroundings when he realized someone had captured photos of his and Ben’s misadventures at the Enchanted Lake. 

_‘Pervert heir?’_ was printed under the picture of him masturbating – _nothing_ blurred out, while another toted about _‘black market goods’_ and _‘royal assault?’_ at a picture of him fondling Ben, and then another when he was straddling him naked. 

“None of that is true,” Ben snapped. “And whoever took those photos-”

“ _Forget_ who took those photos,” the king growled. “They did us a favor. _You,_ ” this he aimed at Chad. “Bringing black market goods into my home, _assaulting_ my son-”

“He didn’t assault me, dad!” Ben was so adamant because he couldn’t see that they’d already lost. That Chad’s grandfather had won because there was only one person who would want to destroy Chad so completely, _humiliate_ him so thoroughly, and it was him. “And that oil was mine; you can ask the seller-”

“It’s noble of you to stand up for your friends, Benjamin.” King Adam was in fine form, but he was not interested in perceived foolishness. “But I will not allow you to be taken advantage of by this- _pervert_.”

“You have my sincerest apologies, your majesty,” Chad’s grandfather finally deigned to speak, likely satisfied with how the conversation had unfolded. “There is nothing I can say that will right this grievous wrong, but I can guarantee that my disgrace of a grandson will be no trouble to you any longer. From this point on I shall restrict his movements to Sardinia, where his status as heir to the crown shall be removed. _Clearly_ , he is unfit for it.”

“Clearly,” the king agreed. “I should press charges, but truthfully, I want this mess to die down as soon as possible.”

“You can’t do that,” Ben sounded panicked even though Chad was mostly resigned, could see the long-term strategy of game, set, and match. His grandfather hadn’t allowed the trip out of civic obligation, this had been an exercise in getting Chad to lower his guard, and it had worked. Give him some perceived safety, access to a regular food source and an actual bed and Chad had crumbled like a house of cards. “Dad, you have to talk to mom-”

“I assume he gave you some sob story, then?” Chad’s grandfather cut back in. “About how I’m _abusing_ him?” He turned his attention to the king. “You see what I have to deal with – boy can’t take a little discipline.”

“A little?” Ben’s hands curled into fists. “You tried to _kill him_.”

“You’ve been lured by a temptress, boy,” the Duke growled. “Chadwick is excellent at getting what he wants; I simply underestimated how _low_ he would delve in his pursuit of power.”

“That’s not true.”

“And I suppose he hasn’t been trading sexual favors for access to classified information?” Chad’s grandfather continued, somehow knowing when he shouldn’t- he must have an informant on the castle staff. He turned his attention towards the king. “Has your son requested access to any highly secure information, your majesty?”

A horrible silence fell over the room as Chad thought back on the Original Auradon Founding Laws still on Ben’s desk, Chad never even getting a chance to _read them_. 

“…he didn’t ask for it,” Ben tried to explain, his voice shaky. It was admirable, how he kept fighting. “I gave it to him.”

“Which is what he wants you to think,” the Duke said.

King Adam shook his head in an open expression of distaste. “I’ve heard enough. Duke Francis, please remove _this_ from my sight.”

Ben tensed. “No, dad-”

“That wasn’t a _request!_ ” The king snapped, slamming his hands down on his desk. “Don’t you understand how this could have ruined us, Ben?! You should have told me the moment he approached you-”

“He didn’t approach me, dad!” Ben pressed. “I came on to him, if anything-”

“ _Silence!_ ” he roared, a definite thing that seemed to shake the room in its entirety, that rattled Chad to his very core. “This discussion is over. I can see now that you are not ready to be king, Ben.”

“Dad-”

“I will hear no more of it,” the king growled. “Duke Francis-”

“We’re leaving,” the Duke said, grabbing Chad by his forearm and pulling him from the room, away from Ben’s frightened face and the king’s snarling one, knowing it was all very, very done. 

It had been foolish to hope. But still, Chad had tried.

And in the end, it got him nothing.

-:-:-:-:-:-

They said nothing until they the guards escorting them pulled away, allowing them to retreat into the private car garage for visiting royalty. This was an area of the castle Chad knew for a fact had no form of monitoring devices, so he wasn’t surprised when his grandfather drew them to a halt beside their limo, when his hand shifted from Chad’s arm to his hair.

“Kneel,” he ordered, and Chad didn’t even think to disobey him, knowing he had totally lost. 

He slid to his knees as gracefully as the hold on his neck would allow, feeling no relief when his grandfather released him. This was far from over.

“Spread your hands flat on the ground.”

It was a new order, but Chad followed that too, even as he watched his grandfather readjust the hold on his cane, shifting it so the balled handle was extended like a baseball bat, almost. 

It wasn’t entirely surprising when he brought that brass knob down on Chad’s hands, though that didn’t dull the immediate _pain_ any.

“You performed better than I’d hoped, stupid boy,” the Duke muttered, pausing between swings to readjust so he could attack all of Chad’s fingers, leave him crippled so he couldn’t make a proper escape. “You’re too thick to cater to your own sexuality, but the prince had been slobbering all over you like some kind of pathetic oaf for ages. I did him a favor, really.” He smashed the cane down on Chad’s other hand, and he’d lost track of how many fingers had been broken as he flinched against the ground, swallowing tears. “Kept from having a repeat of your mother. Awfully bewitching, you Barbaracs.”

When he was satisfied that Chad’s hands were a bruised, swollen mess, he switched to striking his back, his legs, his rear – as though it all offended him. “I have longed to be rid of you since the day you were born, looking like _her_. Filthy-” He struck down hard on Chad’s shoulder until he felt something _pop_. “Worthless. Low class _rabble_. Couldn’t even be a charming prince correctly, let me marry you off to another kingdom, _no_ , you wanted to learn for yourself, as though you had any right.”

Chad’s arms were close to giving out but her pushed through it, worried his grandfather would go for his head should he fumble. “I will put you to use the same way your mother was, let you wash the floors and tend to gardens- and hell, since you seem to enjoy _sex_ so much, I can rent you out for that, too.” He struck Chad hard in to stomach, making him lean forward, press broken fingers to his abdomen. “There are plenty willing to pay for a fallen prince, my boy. And then Sardinia can _truly_ shine.”

Finally, the blows stopped coming, Chad’s breath coming in pained wheezes because a few of his ribs had been bruised or broken, because everything _hurt_ and his grandfather was snarling, out of breath in his rage.

Relentless fingers gripped at Chad’s chin, tilting his face up. “You’re lucky I didn’t release those pictures of you two at that cabin. It would be an embarrassment to Auradon, wouldn’t it, to see its heir _dote_ on you so.” It was a warning, a warning of blackmail against Ben, as though Chad would ever fight him. Wasn’t fighting him _now_. “You are finished, Chadwick. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

It was a trap, a no-win situation. Either way, Chad would be damned, so he fought through his pain, swallowed down saliva and tears to manage something coherent. “…I’m sorry.”

The grip on his jaw tightened exponentially. “I highly doubt that.” The heavy end of the cane settled between Chad’s legs, grinding _down_ until he was forced against the pavement, fresh tears spilling from his eyes. “You wretched little thing. Perhaps I should cripple you and be done with it, ensure that your vile line dies with _you_.”

No, _no_. “Please-”

“ _Silence!_ ” the Duke snarled, pulling back his cane.

Before the cane could strike true- the first of many blows until Chad was left a sobbing mess – the door to the castle flew open revealing Ben, and then behind him-

“Get away from my son!” It was Chad’s father, looking more grounded than he ever saw him, furious and determined and all but ready to shove the Duke to the ground.

“Christopher.” For once, the Duke was surprised and wore the expression openly, seeming at a loss by his son’s appearance, by Queen Belle and Queen Snow’s behind him. “Did they contact you about this debacle?”

“Not this one,” Chad’s father said, marching around the Duke to kneel beside Chad who was- he was a mess. He was a broken mess in front of royalty and he _couldn’t stop crying_.

“Guards,” Queen Belle motioned her entourage forward. “Please escort Duke Francis to the Inspector’s Office.”

“This is preposterous,” the Duke sputtered. “Did you see the news? I was just giving the boy some discipline-”

“You will _never_ touch my son again; do you hear me?” Chad’s father snapped, curling an arm around his shaking shoulders. “If you think your treachery will go unpunished, you are _wrong_. From this day forth you will forever be known as a traitor to Sardinia.”

“Christopher – please, son. You’re confused.”

“No, dad,” the king snapped. “You’re _deranged_. You’ve been manipulating me for years and my son _-_ ” He held Chad against him, actually _held_ him and Chad couldn’t remember the last time he’d done that. “-paid the price for it.” He turned his attention to the guards. “Now please, take this vile man from my sight.” 

“This is not the end!” the Duke pledged, allowing the guards to take him away with great reluctance. “I _will_ be appealing to the king! Taking advantage of my son’s weak emotional state-”

“Tell that to the mountain of evidence we’ve collected against you, Duke Francis,” Queen Snow said calmly, hands folded in front of her in a picture of dignity and restraint.

“This isn’t the end!” the Duke repeated before the doors finally closed behind him, before they were left alone in the seemingly cavernous garage.

“Kit…” Chad’s father began quietly, cataloguing his injuries with sad eyes. “My sweet boy…”

“I’m sorry,” Chad gasped, trying to fumble for his hand with broken fingers. “I’m sorry, dad. I’m- I’m sorry I’m a bad son and I’m sorry I look like her-”

His father’s expression crumbled. “ _Kit_.”

“-and I’m sorry I’m a _whore_.” Chad couldn’t stop shaking. “I promise not all Barbaracs are, it’s just me- but I promise I’ll be good, I promise-” He gasped. “I’ll do whatever you want just _please don’t leave_ again. I’m sorry. _I’m sorry_.”

Chad’s father pulled him against his chest, letting Chad cry in the comfort of a hug he hadn’t received in a very long time. “You did nothing wrong, Kit. You’ve done nothing but be our greatest treasure and-” His voice got a little watery. “-if your mother were alive, she’d be so proud of you.”

“No she wouldn’t,” Chad sobbed, shaking his head. “I got the _prince of Auradon_ in trouble because I’m _stupid_.”

“No, Chad.” Queen Belle crouched beside them now, her hand firm on his shoulder. “If that was anyone’s doing, that was your grandfather’s. Not yours.”

“But-” Chad squeezed his eyes shut. “The- the photos.”

His greatest humiliation, and he thought he was past the point of having shame after some of the things he’d had to do in order to survive, but apparently he wasn’t.

“That, my dear, is called ‘possession of underage pornography’,” Queen Belle explained. “Any who hold onto them will be prosecuted, and whoever _spread_ them will be sued for slander, infringement of privacy, and trespassing. Queen Snow’s working on an exposé to clarify the situation.” She squeezed his shoulder. “There’s nothing wrong with someone having intimate relations with their boyfriend, Chad. Neither of you did anything wrong.” 

“And you’re not a whore,” his father added. “You’re not broken or any of the horrible things my father has ever told you. I’m so sorry, Kit. I’m sorry I lost track of you. I left you in the hands of someone I thought I could trust because I… I didn’t want to hold you back. Not like the way I held _her_ back.”

“Don’t be foolish, Christopher.” Queen Snow joined their huddled, Ben a step behind her, racing around the others so he could mold to Chad’s other side, so very careful of his wounds. “Ella loved you very much. She cherished the time she got to spend with you. _Each_ of you.”

“I hate to break up this moment,” Queen Belle said quietly. “But I believe Chad needs medical attention.”

“The medics are almost here,” Ben said, voice sounding… wrecked, maybe. It hadn’t been a great day for him either. 

“It’s fine,” Chad sniffed, wiping at his face with swollen fingers. “I can walk-”

Ben shot him an unimpressed look. “This time you definitely can’t.”

Queen Belle narrowed her eyes. “What do you mean _‘this time’_?”

And then Ben had to explain about Chad’s fake twisted ankle during the teatime fiasco while Chad got loaded onto a stretcher.

“Honestly, Ben.” Even the _queen_ was rolling her eyes. “You didn’t have to treat it like a date.”

“But Audrey thought it was one,” Ben managed to whine, holding onto Chad’s wrist while Chad’s dad took the other. “And _Chad_ thought it was one – they were both very unhelpful.”

“ _Everyone knew you were going to date_ ,” Chad hissed. “Excuse me for feeding into that.”

“Where were you hiding, anyway?” Ben asked. “I looked everywhere for you.”

“I was in the attic like a normal person,” Chad scoffed, despite that being a not normal person thing at all. “Going over your paperwork.”

“Wait.” Ben blinked. “Were those your notes?”

“Of course they were, you could _read_ them.”

Ben started to bluster. “My handwriting’s not that bad.”

“Yes, it is,” Queen Belle offered sagely, and then they had to part ways because they had gotten to the infirmary.

So.

Bottom line, Chad’s ribs were bruised, not broken, his shoulder _had_ been dislocated and a majority of his fingers were broken. He would have felt pathetic lying in his medical bed were he not hopped up on painkillers, so as it was everything was just sort of floaty and awesome. His father had stayed by his side for most of the procedures, though now he was with Queen Snow corroborating their stories (on the official record, it was Queen Snow who rose concerns over Sardinia’s affairs, what with being a neighboring kingdom, thereby eliminating concern of Auradon’s interference). 

At some point, Ben drifted into view, offering him a sad smile. “Hey.”

“ _Hey_ ,” Chad drawled, feeling _really_ good. “Guess who _definitely_ knows they’re gay?”

Ben chuckled. “Is it you?”

“Fuck _yes_ , it’s me,” Chad giggled. “Don’t tell anyone, but I think the prince likes me.”

“Does he now?”

“Oh, yeah.” Chad smiled. “He thinks I’m _cute_.”

Ben’s laugh seemed a little more genuine. “I have it on good authority that he does think you’re cute.”

“ _Knew it_ ,” Chad mock-whispered, giggling to himself.

“But uh… I think _he_ thinks your brain is the cutest thing of all,” Ben continued, proving that he was just- the _best_ human in existence.

“…he does?” Chad had never expected to be known for his smarts, had only culminated them through necessity.

“Oh, yeah.” Ben smiled. “Your brain and your wit, and your cute little-”

“And they thought _I_ was the pervert.” Chad flushed, sort of wanting to melt into the ground.

Ben immediately lost his smile.

“Hey, stop that,” Chad mumbled, lips feeling heavy. “Go back to saying dumb stuff. You’re not obnoxiously endearing when you’re sad.”

“It’s just…” Ben stared down at his hands. “I caused this whole mess. All of it. If I had just been brave and asked you out instead of asking you to like- _practice kiss_ or whatever, this wouldn’t have happened to you in the first place.”

That was… a lot to keep track of.

Chad tried to focus on the important parts. “I think… it always would have happened one way or another,” he offered pragmatically. “Because my grandfather really hates me. And like-” He tried to pat Ben’s hand but sort of missed. “He was banking on your lust or whatever to cause some sort of incident. It was just like, a boon that I played along.”

“…why did you play along?” Ben asked quietly, like he was afraid Chad would wake up, or something. “If you didn’t know you were gay?”

“We spent like- _forever_ riding horses all day,” Chad reminded him. “You’re like a hyperactive monkey. I had all these books at my disposal but I couldn’t _read_ them because you had to be outside so like- sure, kissing you for book-time, that was a fine trade and then it-” Chad flushed. “You know. It _felt_ good. So it wasn’t that big a problem.”

“…it wasn’t a problem, huh?” Ben said, like he was fishing for something.

Chad’s brain wasn’t composed enough for this. “Look, you want me to lie and say it was love at first sight? ‘Cuz it wasn’t.” He had to be honest about that. “You were this- hyperactive _obligation_ that I had to learn to protect and take care of because that’s my job and sure, I was mostly jealous of you at first cuz like, you have a normal life and parents that like you – but I grew to like you. And I hated that, because I wasn’t _supposed_ to like you. I don’t get nice things. I don’t get things that think I’m funny or cute or want to do things with me or care about my interests. So…” He shrugged. “It was just… easier to be- sarcastic, I guess, and mean. Because then…” He swallowed. “Then it wouldn’t hurt as much when it all stopped. Because you _grew_ on me. Like a fungus.” He started poking at his sheets. “…maybe that can be your pet name. _Fungus_.”

There was a pause, and then, Ben laughed. “No, I like monkey better,” he declared, reaching forward to lay his hand on top of Chad’s. It was really nice. “I thought… I thought you were just repressed because of your grandfather’s expectations. I didn’t realize you were trying to protect yourself.”

“What can I say?” Chad sniffed, not quite looking at him. “They say I’m charming, but between us, you’ve got all the charisma.” Chad just had a sharp tongue and books. “Everyone wants you to love them, Ben. They all want to be the future queen or consort one day, but I…” He shrugged. “I knew better. I’m barely good enough for Sardinia.”

“You’re _more_ than good enough for Sardinia,” Ben pledged, leaning close as though to emphasize this point. “You’re good enough for anything, Chad, including um… being my consort.”

Chad just sort of blinked at him. “…maybe we should go on a date first.”

“Yeah,” Ben laughed, awkwardly. “You’re right.”

“And don’t mention that when we have this conversation again later,” Chad advised him. “It’ll freak me out.”

“We’re going to have this conversation again later?”

 _Ugh_. This _human_.

“Yes, Ben,” Chad sighed. “I’m high on pain medication right now; I will remember none of this later.”

“Oh.” Ben blinked. “I probably should have taken notes.”

“Eh, it’ll be more organic this way.”

“In that case.” A slow smile crept upon Ben’s face. “Want to make out?”

“With you?” Chad grinned. “ _Always_.”

“Oh, I’m going to remind you of that part,” Ben pledged, and then he got to kissing, which was what really mattered.

-:-:-:-:-:-

“ _Hey_ ,” Ben whispered later that night, keeping his voice low so as to not wake Chad’s father, who had fallen asleep in the chair next to him. “ _Guess who I just claimed as my boyfriend on live tv?_ ”

“ _Ben, you **fuck**_ ,” Chad hissed, not unlike a snake. “ _Did you wake me up for **that**? I already knew we were boyfriends_.”

“You did?” Ben blinked, then remembered to whisper. “ _How?_ ”

“ _Because if we weren’t, I would kill you_ ,” Chad informed him sagely. “ _That’s how_.”

“ _Huh_ …” Ben considered this. “ _Yeah, I’m okay with telling our kids that version of the story_.”

“Who said anything about _kids_?” Chad did _not_ screech, for the record, though his father _may_ have woken up and Ben might have taken to embellishing the story because he was a little shit, but he was _Chad’s_ little shit, so he was okay with it.

Honestly, it was all about compromising.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, guys, we reached the end! Thank you so much for joining me on this ride. All of your feedback, your kudos and bookmarks and subscriptions mean a lot to me, and are greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for your support, and I hope you join me for my next Chad-centric story ['The Rules of Punishment'](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24897478/chapters/60244609), the first chapter of which will be posted shortly :)
> 
> Story notes:
> 
> The last name Barbarac was taken from the movie ‘Ever After’, which is not a Disney property, but it was one of the places I was able to find a maiden name for Queen Ella. The name Christopher is taken from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical Cinderella.
> 
> WARNING – Privacy Violation: In the second scene, it is revealed that someone leaked photos of Ben and Chad’s oil mishap at the Enchanted Lake. It does not go into heavy detail, but Chad does describe the images. If you’d like to skip that part, it starts here:
> 
> “I was in Arendelle,” the king began with an appropriate amount of suspense. “Until these photos hit the media.”
> 
> And you can jump back in with: “None of that is true,” Ben snapped. “And whoever took those photos-”
> 
> It’s only about a paragraph.
> 
> WARNNG – Non-Graphic Assault & Verbal Abuse: Takes place in the third scene, when Chad’s grandfather escorts him to the private garage. There is a basic bad guy monologue while he attacks Chad with his cane. It starts with:
> 
> “Spread your hands flat on the ground.” 
> 
> You can jump back in: 
> 
> “Silence!” the Duke snarled, pulling back his cane. 
> 
> Until next time


	8. Deleted Scenes

**Extra Lodge Scene**

Notes: _I came to the conclusion that I wrote one too many scenes for the Lodge. The scene below ultimately added nothing to the overall plot and slowed things down, which was why it was cut_.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad was the one who ended up cooking dinner because Ben was a literal hazard in the kitchen. The majority of his studies had been focused on ruling Auradon, as they should be, whereas Chad had to fight and struggle to get the information he needed to rule Sardinia. Bottom line, one of the many hurdles his grandfather had thrown in front of Chad was food management, or lack thereof, which made Chad capable of making a meal out of almost anything. From bare bones survival to a fully-stocked royal cabin, which was what led to them eating heaping platefuls of spaghetti with garlic bread, Chad bypassing the idea of salad completely to carboload. 

Later, after Ben had set the dishes to soak (because _Chad_ sure as hell wasn’t washing them), they collapsed onto the large bed in Ben’s room, sated and happy.

“Where do you put it?” Ben marveled, pressing a hand against Chad’s stomach. “You eat like a monster but you’re like, a _twig_.”

“Shut up, Ben,” Chad grumbled half-heartedly. He didn’t have the energy or inclination to explain that his meal situation kept him hungry more often than not.

“Must have a high metabolism,” Ben decided, pushing up the hem of Chad’s pajama shirt so he could start nuzzling against his abdomen. “Good metabolism for a good boy.”

“I don’t need your _compliments_ ,” Chad groaned, wishing his face would stop getting all flushed.

“And yet,” Ben mused. “You will have them. So…” He started mouthing kisses against Chad’s stomach. “I had a thought for dessert.”

“How could you even think of food at a time like this?” Chad groaned. 

“Believe me, it’s not _just_ food I’m thinking of.” Ben started kissing up his torso, pushing Chad’s shirt up as he went until he could completely pull it off him, making Chad wonder why he’d even bothered with it in the first place. 

“Insatiable,” Chad muttered, but didn’t fight him when Ben swooped in for a kiss. He was getting sort of used to the attention, and he knew it was a dangerous thing, that Chad was just a disposable safety net for Ben as he explored this stuff, but he couldn’t help the way his heart seemed to stutter ever so slightly when Ben moaned against his mouth, taking Chad’s bottom lip between his teeth and _sucking_.

They were both gasping for air by the time Ben pulled back, and he was reaching for something on the side table.

“ _No more lube_ ,” Chad groaned. They hadn’t watched nearly enough movies for him to be ready for that again.

“Don’t worry, it’s not lube.” The container Ben revealed to him was short and cylindrical, the top peeled off to reveal an intense aroma of chocolate. “It’s frosting.”

“What, do you have cupcakes too?” Chad asked, legitimately curious.

“Sort of.” Ben scooped up a dollop of the fudgy mixture and then _spread it across Chad’s_ _chest_ , working hard to give his nipples extra focus.

“Be- _een_ ,” Chad whined, because this was- dumb. “I have literally showered _twice_ today already.”

“Don’t worry.” The prince grinned. “I’ll take care of his one.”

“ _Ben-_ ”

But then Ben was just- licking him. Licking up the frosting like this was a natural progression of things. His tongue was hot enough that it somehow rocked Chad to his core, had him pressing into that greedy mouth when he should have been protesting. It got worse when Ben settled on his nipples, nipping and _sucking_ on them extra hard in an effort to pick up _every trace of frosting_.

“Ben,” Chad groaned, hips shifting restlessly. “Ben, _please-_ ”

“Don’t worry.” Ben smeared another dollop on his stomach, taking his time licking _that_ up too. “I’ll get there.”

Chad was going to go _crazy_. It was stupid, but it felt _so good_ , Ben licking and sucking against his abdomen like Chad was an actual treat. He was half-coherent by the time Ben eased his pants and underwear down, only realized what was happening when he felt the first shift of cool frosting against his privates.

“ _Ben_ ,” Chad hissed, unable to stop himself from rutting into the attention. “You’re insatiable.”

“I _know_ ,” Ben moaned, like he’d been waiting for it, and then he was sucking and licking at Chad all over again, pinning his hips down against the bed so he couldn’t rut up into the attention. 

It was torture, watching Ben go to town on him. Being so… reverent, so excited, smearing chocolate against his lips and careful to get _every last trace_ whether it killed Chad or not, until he was left very aroused and covered in the drying spit of the prince of Auradon.

“Want some?” Ben asked, panting against his hip.

“I’m not licking that off of you,” Chad snapped, even though he _really_ wanted to, wanted to know what Ben tasted like, wondered if he would taste nearly as good.

“Not like that,” Ben huffed, and then he was climbing up the bed, offering Chad a small scoop of frosting from his fingers. 

And. Well. Ben had gotten him in the mood _now_. 

Despite knowing better, Chad took those fingers into his mouth, licking away the chocolate and sucking on them carefully, trying to clean off every last hint of frosting. Ben seemed content to curl his fingers into Chad’s mouth, though eventually he started pumping them in and out, coaxing Chad to take him deeper.

Chad almost bit those fingers the moment he felt Ben’s other hand settle between his legs, a messy moan spilling around the slick digits.

“Just like that,” Ben pressed, urging his hips faster. “Your mouth feels so good, baby. I love filling you up.” Chad shuddered. “Love the feel of your lips wrapped around me-”

“ _Stupid_ ,” Chad moaned around his fingers, even though his mouth insisted on continuing his sucks because it felt so- _good_. Weird, but good.

“Fuck, no it’s not,” Ben whispered. “I’m gonna make this good for you. Are you gonna come for me? Are you ready to come?”

Chad nodded eagerly, because he could only last so much longer. He _groaned_ when he felt Ben’s bare interest pressed against his own once more, the prince pumping them together in a vicious rhythm that had Chad crooning.

“Just like this,” Ben whispered. “We’re gonna do it just like this. So sweet. So lovely. Chad. Chad. _Chad._ ”

Ben lost it first, but Chad followed not long after, sucking hard on Ben’s fingers because he was just a freak, he guessed, feeling unapologetic at the obvious loss of composure when they’d already done this _several times_ today. It was Ben’s fault, really. Ben was _voracious_. The rest of them were just along for the ride, which in this case, included Chad’s needy body.

“So good,” Ben moaned, flopping onto the bed beside him. “…think another shower might be in order, though.”

“I’m going to run out of hair products at this rate,” Chad grumbled, because that was expected of him.

Ben was kind enough to make a sympathetic noise. “You can just borrow mine.”

Which was exactly what Chad needed, to smell _just like Ben_. 

_Ugh_. This boy. 

“Come on,” Ben pressed a quick kiss to Chad’s lips before dragging his clothes the rest of the way off, tugging him towards the bathroom. “You can test them out now, see if you like them.”

“I probably won’t,” Chad sniffed, even though that was a bold-faced lie.

“Then we’ll keep washing until you _do_ ,” Ben said with the biggest wink ever. And that was it, Chad surrendered. Then and there, he was _done_. 

-:-:-:-:-:-

**Chapter 4 – Original Shopping Breakdown**

Notes: _So originally I had a different breakdown planned for Chad, though it never really sat well with me. Likely because Ben swooped in and saved the day, which was sweet, but like, I preferred the version where Ben more or less orchestrated Chad saving his own day better, which was the shopping breakdown was ultimately changed_.

-:-:-:-:-:-

The price tag made Chad’s stomach drop to his feet, because he knew even with the entirety of the emergency funds he had stashed away in various places on his person, he didn’t have enough to cover even a _fourth_ of the grapple gun’s cost. Unlike most princes, Chad didn’t have access to any recreational funds with his card, and if his grandfather saw that he’d purchased _this_ , well, he wouldn’t think it was for another prince, and even if he did, he certainly wouldn’t let Chad go to the party. He’d probably make the blond come home altogether, cutting Chad’s vacation with Ben short and Chad didn’t- he _couldn’t_ do that, didn’t want that because as obnoxious as Ben could be he was also sort of nice, and Queen Belle and Mrs. Potts were kind and he had access to a constant food source and a nice bed-

“Hey,” Ben greeted with a small wave, a petite sales associate hovering behind him. “I found someone-”

“I um- I decided against it,” Chad declared, offering the short woman a polite nod. “Sorry. Thank you for your time, though.”

“What?” Ben blinked. “But you said-”

“We should go,” Chad said, and then in a true display of his panic, he grabbed Ben’s wrist, dragging him from the store while the taller prince spouted muted protests.

Chad didn’t stop until they were safely down the street, until the shame had burned from his cheeks even though he knew the sting of his inadequacies would last for a long time. If he was a _good_ prince, he’d get to have friends and money to buy them presents with. But he wasn’t a good prince, he was just- Chad. And he had to make do with that.

“What’s wrong?” Ben looped in front of him, making Chad halt in his tracks. “I thought you liked the grapple gun.”

“I changed my mind,” Chad muttered, sullenly. He was out of ideas and the shops were going to start closing soon and Chad _still_ didn’t have a present. “I sat back and though what that said about me as a person-”

“So it wasn’t the price?” Ben pressed, because he was just- impossible. “Because if that’s the case-”

“No,” Chad urged, hating the way his pulse spiked and Ben’s gaze widened and just- him, in general. He squeezed his eyes shut, and tried to come back to himself. “No, that’s not it. I think you were right about the book. I’ll just get him that-”

“Chad.” Ben reached out and gripped his hands, which was a form of contact they didn’t normally do in public but he was so- _stubborn_. “It’s okay if you don’t have the money, I’ll just get it-”

“ _No_.” Chad didn’t know why the prospect was so horrible, because Ben was a nice guy. He was just doing what nice guys did and buying their hopeless friends presents. It wasn’t like Chad hadn’t earned it in some way, with all the ‘practice’ they’d been putting in, but somehow that made it worse. Because the practice was to get Chad knowledge and this was just- straight up prostitution because Chad was _poor_ , just like his mother had been. “No, I’ll just- it’s fine.”

“…Chad.” Ben’s voice was terribly quiet, because Chad must be- he was tearing up, the dumb _shit_ that he was, getting worked up over something so stupid. A hand wrapped around his wrist, and Chad found himself being dragged into a secluded garden ally, Ben weaving them through a few different nooks until they settled in a private alcove blocked off by trees. When they were relatively safe, Ben dragged Chad into a hug that the blond didn’t bother fighting, because he was growing to like hugs even if he didn’t deserve them. “…do you- do you get an allowance?”

“Sure,” Chad mumbled. All royals did. He had to earn his, of course, _put work in for it_ , and if Chad wasn’t going to perfectly follow his grandfather’s rules then he could earn his keep by help scrubbing the castle from top to bottom. At this point, Chad knew more about silver polish and cleaning solutions and laundry than any prince should rightfully get to know. “But um…” There was no point in guarding his pride, so he gave up, handing Ben his wallet while keeping his head ducked. “That’s all I managed to save up over the last ten years.”

He tried not to hold his breath as Ben thumbed through his wallet, knowing it was a rough accumulation of about three hundred dollars in small bills.

“…Oh, wow,” Ben said eventually, because he had to say _something_ even if he didn’t seem to know what. “You um… must have bought a lot of books.”

“I haven’t spent any of it,” Chad sniffed, rubbing discreetly at his cheeks. “I was saving it for an emergency.” He supposed this constituted as a social emergency. 

Ben’s body tensed for one horrible moment, and then he seemed to remember that Chad was cradled against him before he relaxed again.

“Okay,” he said eventually, handing Chad his wallet back. “Okay, here’s what’s going to happen.”

“Ben-” Chad began to protest, because he knew that tone of voice.

“ _I’m_ going back to that store and buying a grapple gun,” Ben declared. “Now, I don’t _need_ a grapple gun, but I am _going_ to buy it and then it will either sit in its box for a very long time in the back corner of my closet _or_ you could give it to Aziz, so it could be put to use and appreciated and not be neglected for all of time.”

“Ben,” Chad tried again. “You don’t have to-”

“I’m doing this,” Ben said, in his most stubborn voice. “This is happening, and then we’re going to a café and getting hot chocolate and croissants and ruining our dinner and then we’re going home to take a bath, okay? That’s what we’re doing. Those are the things we are going to do.”

For lack of anything else to do, Chad rolled his eyes. “…you are impossible.”

“Yeah,” Ben sighed, giving Chad one last squeeze before he started pulling the blond back out of the garden. “ _I’m_ the impossible one.”

And since he clearly couldn’t be referring to Chad, the blond elected to ignore him, following after the whirlwind of energy that was one Benjamin Florian, man on a mission and totally impossible to deter. 

Chad clung to his annoyance even if deep down he was grateful, because Ben was- he did this for _Chad_ , likely because he was pathetic, but still, it was nice.

And Chad liked holding onto nice things.

-:-:-:-:-:-

**Random Party Aside**

Notes: _This was a transition that ultimately got cut when I merged the dancing scene with Audrey getting Ben’s coat. It is just a short aside, but Chad was so snarky I thought it’d be fun to share_.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Now Chad had to figure out how to socialize at a party without using the crutch of _Tourney_. Ugh. He did not want that to be his entire night. Just because he’d memorized all the stats from the college and pro league did not mean he actually wanted to review that shit with people who cared about it. That sounded _miserable_.

-:-:-:-:-:-

**Alternate Duke Confrontation**

Notes: _This was take one of the ending. It was intended to follow Ben and Chad getting caught kissing in the hallway or something, which was entirely more benign than the pictures that got leaked. Obviously, you can see which ending I preferred, though this was a solid option to help me learn which direction I wanted to go in_.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Chad knew it wasn’t the end of the world, it just sort of _felt_ like it was, sitting in front of the _king’s_ desk like a naughty schoolchild while they waited for his grandfather to arrive. Queen Belle had tried to assure them everything was okay, that they just wanted to _talk_ , but it was never ‘talking’ with his grandfather, it was listening and then disciplining and then retreating to the comfort of his room to lick his wounds in silence. He tried to picture all the ways this conversation could go, what his grandfather could choose to do as a result of it. 

Obviously, Chad had messed up his wonderful grand plan to get him in the King’s favor (probably thought Chad did it on purpose too), so a punishment was in order. Chad would definitely be stuck at some kind of camp for the rest of the summer, somewhere far out of the way, like a survivalist camp that forbade all electronics. He’d threatened to send Chad to one before but he’d always been too young, but if anyone could pull some strings, it was the former king of Sardinia, who didn’t mind allowing the staff to apply extra _discipline_ to Chad should he step out of line.

Ben had tried to catch his attention a few times but Chad didn’t have anything to say to him. He’d known this idea was stupid from the start; _he_ was the one who gave in. The fact that Ben was sort of hopeless didn’t seem like such a great excuse now, nor did his relentless nature. Grandfather wasn’t going to believe that Ben of all people was chasing _Chad_. Not when they were supposed to be strapping young boys doing manly, regal things that definitely didn’t involve kissing one another at any given time. 

_Fuck_ , Chad was dead. He was going to die and his last meal was going to be _gummy worms_ – there was no justice in the world. 

By the time Mrs. Potts was showing Chad’s grandfather into the room, Chad had managed to coax himself into a numb state of mild detachment, which was likely for the best. Reacting to his grandfather rarely went well for him, since most of his go-to responses were negative, and his positive responses were abhorred. So.

“Duke Francis,” the Queen greeted with a kind smile, the way one parent may politely console the other. “I appreciate you coming, though I guarantee this matter isn’t nearly as severe as I may have led you to believe on the phone.”

“On the contrary, your majesty,” Chad’s grandfather rumbled, choosing to remain standing to further assert his authority over Chad. “Decorum dictates that it was _quite_ severe. I do beg your patience towards Chadwick’s grievous error; he is a foolish boy, prone to silly indulgences.”

That was probably the nicest way the Duke had ever called Chad a waste of time. He sort of marveled at it. 

Queen Belle – bless her – seemed to be at a bit of a loss. “There’s nothing to forgive, your grace. Ben and Chad are young and curious. There’s nothing wrong with exploring new territory with you friend.”

“I doubt it was anything so innocent.” Of course he did, the Duke was the _worst_. “I’m afraid tempting dalliances run in the family, your majesty. I’m sure Prince Benjamin would not have been tempted had Chadwick not thrown himself at him.”

Ah yes, when all else failed, call Chad’s mom a whore. _Classic grandfather_. 

Ben, the fool, puffed up. “Chad didn’t throw himself at me, I asked him. And what do you mean about it ‘ _running_ _in the family_ ’?”

“I’m sure you thought that,” Chad’s grandfather said, masterfully ignoring the second question. “But Chadwick is excellent at getting what he wants.” No he wasn’t. “He likely planted the idea-”

“Duke _Francis_ ,” Queen Belle finally cutting in, using the full extent of her regal authority. “No crimes have been committed here. Chad has caused no disservice against my son and from the sounds of it, Ben was the instigator.”

“I was,” Ben promised solemnly, not that the Duke would ever believe him.

“Be that as it may, I think it best that I take Chadwick home now,” the Duke said, shocking everyone but Chad who had already packed his bags before the meeting had started. They were waiting in the entry hall with Cogsworth’s assistant. “Thank you for extending your hospitality, your majesty, and a thousand pardons for Chadwick’s impertinence. I promise it won’t be a problem in the future.” 

“Wait.” Ben moved to stand. “You can’t just go-”

“Thank you, your majesty.” Chad managed to keep his voice calm through practice. “I’m very grateful for the generosity you’ve shown me, and I’m sorry for my loathsome behavior. It won’t happen again.”

“Loathsome?” Ben echoed as Chad got to his feet. “All we did was _kiss_ , that’s not a crime-”

“It _is_ if you do not know your place in the world,” Chad’s grandfather snapped, his hand tightening against the top of his cane. “Chadwick knows there are things beyond his limits, and to aspire for them despite his pedigree is disgraceful. And while this might seem like a harmless dalliance, it was intended for something greater.”

“It wasn’t,” Chad said calmly. “I promise, grandfather-”

The resounding _slap_ seemed to reverberate through the room, Chad’s head turned to the side with the force of his grandfather’s backhand. It stung, but fortunately he was wearing gloves today instead of his rings, which would have made it hurt far more.

“Do not talk back to me, Chadwick,” the Duke growled.

Chad managed a nod, only keeping his hands against his sides through sheer force of will. “Yes, grandfather.”

Distantly, he registered motion by his side – Queen Belle hovering right next to him. “I think you should go.”

Yes, of course. 

Chad nodded, moving to follow his grandfather only to be stopped by the Queen’s hand on his arm, holding him in place.

“I meant Duke Francis, sweetheart,” she murmured quietly. “You’ll stay here.”

But- his grandfather just said-

“You can’t keep him,” the Duke hissed. “He needs to return to Sardinia for future training.”

“He’ll return to Sardinia when his father comes to retrieve him,” the Queen explained calmly. “And in the meantime, my guards will escort you out.”

The Duke puffed up. “You would bother my son-?”

“Chad’s father?” the Queen clarified. “Yes, I would. Guards,” she called to the two armed gentlemen waiting by the door. “Please escort Duke Francis to the Inspector’s office.”

“This is preposterous.” The Duke didn’t fight the two as they grabbed a hold of his arm, but his face was still claimed with fury. “Who are you to dictate how I discipline this _blight_ upon my family?”

“The law dictates what you can and cannot do,” Ben’s mom said calmly. “You’re the one who broke it. Take him away.”

The Duke didn’t get another word in before he was escorted from the room, Chad staring blankly after him because… what? 

“Why’d you do that?” Chad asked, staring at the door with a renewed sense of loss. “You’ll only make him angrier.”

“Chad, honey.” He felt the queen wrap and arm around his shoulders, Ben hovering in front of him anxiously, not sure what to do. “You’re not going to see your grandfather for a long time now.”

“But he’ll still have power.” No matter where they put him. “He’ll have power and now it will be harder to intercept his- _bullshit_ proposals and I can’t- I can’t keep my dad safe if I don’t know where his manipulations will come from I-” Belatedly, he realized he was shaking, the world seeming to shrink in on him. “I don’t- he didn’t even hit me that hard, why would you- over _that_?”

“Sit down,” the queen ordered gently, and Chad did just that, felt himself guided into his chair by the other two, Queen Belle tilting him forward so he could breathe easier. “You’re going to be okay. Your father’s going to be okay. We’ll make sure he can’t hurt you.”

“But you can’t _guarantee_ that.” Chad felt frustrated tears building at the corners of his eyes. “I’ve dealt with him hating me all my life; you don’t think I could have lasted a few years?” And now everything he’d worked for, his whole system- he’d have to start over. All of his grandfather’s workers would scatter to the wind, reinvent themselves in _other_ kingdoms, become someone _else’s_ potential problem. “Fuck. _Fuck_.”

“Chad.” Ben’s fingers were in his hair, tracing calming circles. “Chad, have you… have you been fighting with your grandfather all this time? Has he- has he hit you before?”

“Of course he’s hit me before,” Chad snapped. “He hates me, I already said that. He hated my mom and now he hates me and he hates me even more because my dad refused to remarry and give him a _‘suitable heir’_ so he’s stuck with _me_ but I refuse to work with him because he’s _crazy!_ ” Chad’s chest was heaving by the time he was done with it, tears pouring down his cheeks because he didn’t know what to do. “And now I’m probably going to live here for the rest of my life because my father’s never going to fucking come for me. He hates me because I look like her but I’m _not her_.”

He sobbed, cradling his face in his hands, not caring if the other two would watch him. His persona didn’t matter anymore, none of it mattered anymore. Years of work, _gone_. 

The queen was hugging him- actually, she and Ben both were, muttering nonsense and rubbing small circles and overall being too kind for the world.

“If that’s what it comes down to then you can stay forever,” she murmured. “You’ll be part of _our_ family, Chad, and you’ll never be alone again.”

“Even though I’m a whore?” Chad had to admit it because if he didn’t he’d be exactly what the Duke said he was, a greedy opportunist reaching for more than they should have. “I’d- I’d never even done anything like that before Ben but I-” Chad sobbed. “I like it a lot. I guess he knew. I know my mom wasn’t a slut but I guess I am-”

“No, baby,” the queen hushed him, Ben swallowing down a noise of distress. “There’s nothing wrong for liking what you do with Ben. That’s natural. It doesn’t make you a whore, it makes you human. It’s great that you two trust each other enough to be together like that.”

“I’m sorry, Chad,” Ben whispered. “I didn’t realize how I was twisting you up inside. I just- I liked making you feel good, and having you close to me.” He burrowed his head against Chad’s shoulder. “If anyone’s greedy, it’s me. Wanting to hog you all to myself.”

“ _Why?_ ” Chad croaked, because that was the thing that was really bothering him. “Why, Ben? What the hell do I even have to offer?”

“What?” Ben laughed. “Because you’re brilliant. You pretend to look at books for their pictures but snap at me if I try to take like, the heaviest, dust-covered tomb away from you. You’re clever and you’re strong and resourceful and I think you actually hate Tourney and it’s adorable when you get all cranky about it and you’re- you’re practical and I love that about you, and I hate the way everyone thinks you’re dumb because I’m pretty sure you could give Doug a run for his money if you wanted to, and you make a room better just by entering it, and you make absolutely _zero_ effort to be nice to me because you think we shouldn’t be friends but you’re also somehow one of the most thoughtful people I know and- Chad,” he laughed. “Why wouldn’t I like you?”

“You’re so dumb,” Chad gasped, falling into his hold. “You’re too nice and too dopey and you’re stupidly tall and you smile at- _everything_ , and you have this need to be outside and you try to make things fun- you’re just- trying to be a kid before you have to be a king and you-” He squeezed his eyes shut. “You’re nice to me even though my grandfather pretty much warned every other royal off of me if he didn’t like them.” It made it so hard to have friends. “He won’t even let me talk to Jane. She’s- her mom saved my mom and I can’t talk to her. _Ben-_ ” Chad felt himself shaking. “I want to be your friend- your _anything_ so badly but I’m afraid the moment I commit to it it’ll be taken away.”

“It won’t be,” the Queen murmured. “It’s going to be okay, Chad. Maybe not right now, maybe not tomorrow, but it’s _going_ to be okay. And no matter what happens, you don’t have to do this alone anymore, alright?”

Chad could only cry harder, let himself be cuddled between the two most generous, brilliant people he knew and hope they were right. 

And despite the fact that he was a sobbing mess, they didn’t leave him right there. So that was a good start. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that was all she wrote :)
> 
> Until next time


End file.
